Heathrow tells UK to do passenger testing or lose 'quarantine roulette'

Heathrow, along with airlines and the entire tourism industry, is hurting from fallout from Covid-19. PHOTO: REUTERS

LONDON (REUTERS) - Heathrow Airport, once Europe's busiest airport, called on Britain to urgently introduce a passenger testing regimen, warning that without one it would lose a game of global "quarantine roulette" as the coronavirus stalled aviation.

The worst public health crisis since the 1918 influenza outbreak has wrought economic turmoil across the world and just as the travel industry restarted, there are now fears of a second wave of shutdowns after Britain imposed a quarantine on Spain.

"The UK needs a passenger testing regime and fast," said Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye. "Without it, Britain is just playing a game of quarantine roulette."

He added: "Our European competitors are racing ahead with passenger testing. If the UK doesn't act soon, Global Britain will be nothing more than a campaign slogan."

Asked about such sharp criticism from the head of the country's biggest airport, the government said there was no easy solution.

British Culture Minister Oliver Dowden said that there is no silver bullet on testing which could allow quarantine-free travel.

"It's not the case that you can simply test somebody and be sure that they don't have the disease. It can incubate over a period of time, so there's not a silver bullet of just testing immediately at the border," Mr Dowden told the BBC on Wednesday (July 29).

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has faced criticism for being too slow to craft a nationwide testing programme, and the government has bet heavily on a home testing approach that has been dogged by delays.

Heathrow, along with airlines and the entire tourism industry, is hurting.

Passenger numbers fell 96 per cent in the second quarter while cargo volumes fell more than 30 per cent. Revenue plunged 85 per cent.

Heathrow, though, said its finances remained robust. It said it had enough cash to last until at least June 2021 with no revenue.

"We have agreed a waiver on financial covenants until the end of 2021 and maintained our Investment Grade credit rating status," it said.

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