Heathrow chief calls for digital health apps to restart international travel

Heathrow’s head called on the government to use digital health apps to help restart international travel on Wednesday after the airport capped a disastrous year for aviation with a GBP2b loss. With passenger numbers collapsing to levels not seen since the 1970s, the UK should lead the world in establishing common standards to revive mass travel, said John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow CE. Cumbersome paperwork should be replaced by digital certification to show passengers have been tested or vaccinated against coronavirus before they travel to speed up check-in times, he said. “We need to focus on standardising and automating all checks that are required. Rather than having a 20 minute check-in time, we can get back to having a few seconds.” The head of the UK’s busiest airport said it is “too soon to say” whether proof of vaccination might be needed for travel to some countries when millions of people begin flying again. The UK government is reviewing whether vaccine passports could help unlock the economy, although ministers have expressed concern over discriminating against those who cannot be inoculated. The prospects for travel are beginning to brighten after prime minister Boris Johnson this week said non-essential international travel might be able to resume from May 17, subject to a review.<br/>