Heathrow: quarantine exit plan needed to reboot UK economy

Bosses at Heathrow Airport have spoken about the ‘need’ for a lockdown exit plan to kickstart the UK economy following the COVID-19 crisis.

Heathrow has called on the government to lay out a road map for the ‘reopening of borders’, as well as playing a leading role in the development of a Common International Standard to enable free travel when infection rates go down.

The airport reported a 97 per cent drop in passenger numbers in April due to the global pandemic and subsequent restrictions on travel and movement.

Cargo flights have continued to operate, with the airport seeing a 1,788 cargo only flights operated from Heathrow in April including 95 dedicated cargo movements on April 30 - 14 times the usual daily average.

Heathrow CEO, John Holland-Kaye, commented: “Aviation is the lifeblood of this country’s economy, and until we get Britain flying again, UK business will be stuck in third gear.

“The government needs to urgently lay out a roadmap for how they will reopen borders once the disease has been beaten, and to take an immediate lead in agreeing a Common International Standard for health in aviation that will allow passengers who don’t have the infection to travel freely.”

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