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.”

Want your business, product or service to be seen regionally and nationally? Bdaily helps you get your story in front of the right audience, every day. Find out how Bdaily can help →

Join more than 55,000 subscribers by signing up to our daily bulletin each morning here.