Heathrow calls on government to lay out roadmap for restarting flights

Heathrow called for the government to lay out a plan for airports to restart operations and allow more flights following a drastic fall in passenger numbers due to coronavirus lockdown.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday that any travellers arriving in the UK would have to self-isolate for two weeks upon landing which could lead to a further decline in traffic.

Airline and tourism bosses had already warned against a 14-day quarantine plan, saying that it would be a “nightmare” for the travel industry if tourists and business travellers were forced to isolate for a fortnight upon arrival.

The fall in passenger numbers at Heathrow airport resulted in a total of 200,000 travellers in April, roughly the same number that would usually pass through the airport in just one day. Traffic at Heathrow fell by 97% in April.

John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow’s chief executive, said: “The government needs to urgently lay out a road map 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.”

Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary, said that a plan for the transport sector during the next phase of lockdown would be published on Tuesday.