PM told to ‘get a grip’ by Heathrow boss as testing facility unveiled

The PM faces more pressure over a proposal to let Heathrow passengers book COVID-19 tests and have results sent to them within seven hours

The Prime Minister has been told to “get a grip” of his COVID-19 travel quarantine policy by the boss of Heathrow Airport, as they push for the 14-day quarantine period to be reduced.

The travel hub’s chief executive has said that Boris Johnson needs to act quickly to stop “holding back the recovery of the UK economy” due to the quarantine restrictions on many travellers coming into the UK.

The airport has revealed its plans for a new coronavirus testing facility that it hopes will lead to the ending of the current two-week mandatory quarantine rule for those returning from countries that have been removed from the UK’s safe travel list.

This comes after Heathrow proposed a coronavirus testing plan in a bid to reduce the 14-day quarantines and get people travelling by plane as the travel sector suffers under the strain of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Arriving passengers would be able to book COVID-19 swab tests and would then have their results sent to them within seven hours. Those who test negative for the coronavirus would potentially be able to leave quarantine five to eight days after arriving into the UK.

Heathrow said that it had been working with Collinson, the aviation services company, as well as Swissport, the logistics firm, on a new COVID-19 testing facility which is now “ready for use”, they went on to say that the positive impact it could have on the economy would be “significant”.

Heathrow Airport CEO John Holland-Kaye said on Wednesday that “having started well” by introducing different policies for travellers coming from different countries based on risk, the UK has “now fallen behind”.

“We need to move quickly to get people moving through the UK again to help us to recover the UK economy,” he told Ian King Live.

“This is a cross-government decision, and this is a question for Number 10 to get a grip of our border policy to make sure that business can start flowing again…”

“This is holding back the recovery of the UK economy and putting thousands and thousands of jobs at risk.”

“The government needs to act now to allow testing as an alternative to quarantine so we can get the economy kick-started.”

This comes after it was suggested that Croatia, Greece and Turkey could be joining the UK’s travel quarantine list after the countries have recorded rises in the coronavirus cases within the countries.

Matt Hancock, the UK’s Health Secretary, confirmed that ministers are currently planning out the details on how feasible the strategy from Heathrow would be.

He said:

“We are working with Heathrow and other airports on this project.”

“The challenge is – because the virus can incubate inside your body without coming forward and without therefore a test being positive even if you’ve got it – the challenge is how to do that testing in a way that we can have confidence enough to release the quarantine.”

“It is absolutely a project that we are working with Heathrow on.”

“I clearly understand the impact of quarantine on so many people’s lives. It is not something anybody would want to do.”

“So I hope that this project can bear fruit.”