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Union calls for clarity over quarantine plans
Pilots union BALPA has called on the UK Government to refine and clarify its proposed 14-day quarantine period for inbound travellers, arguing the current proposal is ‘far too blunt a tool’.
General secretary Brian Strutton said the blanket 14-day quarantine period will significantly damage the travel and tourism industry and therefore the whole economy.
"We have seen no evidence that such a blanket policy is needed and would strongly urge the government to move to a targeted and tailored approach according to destination and risk," he said.
"In addition, the industry needs to be able to plan. So far we don’t know the start date, the proposed end date, when and how the policy will be reviewed and what the stop and start criteria for the policy might be.
"When other countries are opening up their borders and using evidence-led, targeted approaches, this feels like a bludgeon which will simply do huge economic harm.
"We also need to see more details such as what the list of exemptions might be – that must include crew, although we have not had that confirmed yet."
The Government initially said France would be exempt from the new rules but has since then it has rolled back on this idea, saying the exemption only applies to freight drivers and experts working on pandemic efforts.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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