- Published
The UK's aviation sector "urgently" needs more government support if it is to survive another long period of travel curbs, industry groups say.
From Monday, all travel corridors to the UK will be closed to prevent the arrival of any new variants of Covid.
Airport operators said the move was understandable, but warned that it would deepen the crisis for the sector.
There was "only so long" until airports might have to close temporarily, the Airport Operators Association said.
Meanwhile, the British Airline Pilots' Association called the travel corridor closure "yet another huge blow", and warned that the UK aviation industry would "not be there to support the post Covid-19 recovery" without "a clear plan of action and a proper package of support".
Under the new rules, anyone flying into the country from overseas will have to show proof of a negative Covid test before setting off.
All travel corridors will close from 04:00 GMT on Monday. After that, arrivals to the UK will need to quarantine for up to 10 days, unless they test negative after five days.
The new measures were announced as a ban on travellers from South America and Portugal came into force on Friday - over concerns about a new variant identified in Brazil.
At a Downing Street news conference on Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK would close all travel corridors to "protect against the risk of as yet unidentified new strains" of Covid.
The new rules will be in place until at least 15 February, he said.
According to the latest data, another 1,280 people with Covid have died in the UK within 28 days of a positive test, and another 55,761 new cases have been reported.
'Lifeline'
Travel corridors were introduced in the summer to allow people travelling from some countries with low numbers of Covid cases to come to the UK without having to quarantine on arrival.
Their closure has been met with concern among the UK's travel industry, although trade bodies said the move was understandable amid the Covid crisis.
Airlines UK said it supported the latest restrictions "on the assumption" that the government would remove them "when it is safe to do so".
Chief executive Tim Alderslade said travel corridors were "a lifeline for the industry" last summer but "things change and there's no doubting this is a serious health emergency".
ABTA, a trade association of travel agents and tour operators, said the government should provide support "as a matter of urgency" both for the jobs and businesses at risk, and "in recognition of the important role the travel industry will play in the UK's economic recovery".
AOA's chief executive Karen Dee has called for the UK and devolved governments to set out "as a matter of extreme urgency how they will support airports through this deepening crisis".
And Matthew Fell, the Confederation of British Industry's chief UK policy director, has urged "targeted fiscal support" for the aviation industry, as he said the move would come as a "further blow" to the sector.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said closing the travel corridors was the "right step" but called the timing of the decision "slow again", adding that the public would be thinking "why on earth didn't this happen before".
Travel operators had already been forced to cancel holidays before the latest restrictions were announced.
Earlier this week, Jet2 suspended all flights and holidays until 25 March over "ongoing uncertainty".
And budget travel provider EasyJet on Thursday began cancelling holidays up to and including 24 March - due to ongoing curbs and changing rules on international travel.
A ban on travellers from South America, Portugal and Cape Verde entering the UK came into force on Friday morning as a result of a new, potentially more infectious variant of coronavirus linked to Brazil.
New variants causing concern have previously been identified in the UK and South Africa , with many countries imposing restrictions on arrivals from both nations.
- LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?
- LOCKDOWN LOOK-UP: The rules in your area
- TESTING: How do I get a virus test?
- SYMPTOMS: What are they and how to guard against them?
England is currently under a national lockdown, meaning people must stay at home and can go out only for limited reasons such as food shopping, exercise, or work if they cannot do so from home.
Similar measures are in place across much of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The latest figures show that more than three million people in the UK have now received the first dose of a vaccine - 3,234,946 - an increase of 316,694 from the previous day.
Meanwhile, the latest estimate of the UK's R number - which is the number of people that one infected person will pass on a virus to on average - is 1.2 to 1.3, compared with 1-1.4 last week.
But in London, where tight restrictions came in earlier, the R number is lower - between 0.9 and 1.2.
- RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE UK: Mama Ru's back with 12 fabulous drag queens. Who gets the crown?
- DEATH IN BOLLYWOOD: How did Jiah Khan die? For her British family, the truth about her death still hasn’t come out
Are you due to travel back to the UK from overseas? Share your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
- WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
- Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
- Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy
If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk . Please include your name, age and location with any submission.
Related Topics
from Via PakapNews