UK airlines welcome aviation testing regime announcement

November 24th, 2020

Responding to the announcement by the Government that an aviation testing regime will be introduced from 15 December, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of Airlines UK, the industry association representing UK-registered carriers, said:

“This is a hugely welcome step that will begin the process of opening up international travel and restarting UK aviation. It is a good start and by more than halving the quarantine period we should see demand tentatively return and more routes and destinations become viable once again.

That said, a test at day 5 does not get rid of quarantine and that’s why we look forward to working with Government to move towards a pre-departure or domestic testing regime that can remove safely the need for self-isolation altogether, as quickly as possible. This is the only way we’re going to comprehensively reopen the market. But, with this announcement there is now light at the end of the tunnel not just for carriers and UK aviation but consumers looking to get away at Christmas and beyond.”