Originally Posted by
IAN-UK
Sorry, my tongue was in cheek (mine).
I think perhaps the DfT's team member with a Proficiency in English badge was busy drafting interview text to help promote Grant as a competent and sure-footed cabinet minister.
Sadly, that didn't go spinningly well in today's round of media chats: the secretary of state was a bit at sea on the fussier details of policy implementation, though it was good to see he had put in the effort to arrange his bookshelves.
My bad!
Originally Posted by
Obruni Boy
For those saying about time consider that this requirement could be the end for many airlines. Once in place it will likely take 6 months to be revoked. Few people are going to travel on holiday with the need for extra tests on the return and what business travelers there are will reduce further.
Back in the summer UK's air traffic was some 80-85% lower than the same period in 2019, and this was without testing on this end. At the same time, the fact that BA flights to Dubai are full seem to imply that people don't mind getting tested to fly.
Originally Posted by
GBOAC
I fully support testing of inbound travellers, we should have been doing it months ago.
However there needs to be facility for testing at BA (and other airline) departure facilities. travelling to nearest city or central testing facility in certain (better connected) locations could involve a half-day commitment, together with extra travel and exposure at the destination (e.g. another taxi ride, lines at testing centre etc). For say a 4 day business trip, this is rediculous. And the cost of tests needs to come down (someone is profiteering at the publics expense) - all the PCR adverts I am getting are around £150pp and involve a trip to central london (for UK end).
What I prepose is an in-airport testing facility: arrive, check in, have test, wait in lounge for test results, board flight. Importantly there is very little additonal travel adn exposure involved in this testing regime (you are at the airport anyway). Anything more involved than this is just going to throttle travel, and arguably put people at more risk.
I'm also wondering about overal travel costs and impact on ability and willingness to pay for premium cabins. Assuming the cost of a return trip is increased by c£300pp for tests alone, will we see a depression in the market for premium cabins. £300 is easily the different between ET and CE on many routes, and often in excess of the different between Econ and PE on international shorter return tickets (including TATL west coast), and in some cases the difference between PE and Club.
All very reasonable suggestions but I'm afraid that lateral flow testing is authorised and it floods the market at a very low price profiteering will continue. Unfortunately it seems to me that there's very little interest in reining in the carpetbaggers that are out to milk the travellers.