UK's new travel testing plan will boost flying, minister says

Britain’s transport minister said on Wednesday that his coronavirus testing plans would get more people flying in the months ahead, sounding an optimistic note at a time when travel companies are struggling to survive. A 14-day quarantine for arrivals from most countries could be replaced by an as-yet unspecified shorter isolation period followed by a negative test result under plans that Transport Minister Grant Shapps set out last week. “I believe the measures I’ve outlined will result in significantly more people flying in the months ahead,” Shapps said. Airlines have cut back their already anaemic flying schedules for autumn due to mounting travel restrictions in Europe. Shapps said the government was working hard to get the new arrivals regime in place and much of the work had already been done, with another approach also being considered for pre-departure testing. Final details due in early November. BA said it backed pre-flight testing, “where travellers arriving in the UK all have a negative test up to 72 hours before flying”. But the IATA has said the plan does not go far enough, because 80% of travellers will not fly it there is any quarantine in place.<br/>