The UK’s quarantine policy for arrivals will cause serious harm, the boss of Manchester Airports Group has warned.
Announced on Friday, May 22, by UK home secretary Priti Patel, anyone entering the country will be required to self-isolate for 14 days as part of the government’s policy to stop a second wave of COVID-19.
Arrivals must provide contact and travel information in case they, or someone they have been in contact with develops the disease.
The arrangements are due to come into effect on June 8, with information being made available through messaging and inflight announcements as well as leaflets and posters on arrival.
The CEO of Manchester Airports Group, Charlie Cornish, has criticized the measures, calling the policy “a brick wall to the recovery of the UK aviation and tourism industries, with huge consequences for UK jobs and GDP”.
Cornish, whose airports operate Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports, says enabling travel will lead the aviation industry and economy out of the coronavirus crisis. He urged the government to allow British people to travel to safe countries and to encourage travel to the UK.
“A blanket quarantine will seriously jeopardize the long-term future of the sector and put tens of thousands of jobs, and billions of pounds of economic value, at risk,” he warned.