Manchester Airport staff take part in nationwide protest over coronavirus travel restrictions
Staff at Manchester Airport are taking part in a day of action as part of a nationwide protest at the government’s handling of international travel.
Travel industry body Abta, which is leading today's events, argues there are no major tourist destinations on the quarantine-free green list, and the government has urged people to avoid holidays to countries on the amber list.
It estimates that 195,000 travel jobs have been lost during the coronavirus pandemic or are at risk.
Manchester Airport workers are posting pictures of themselves on Twitter throughout the day to mark the 319 flights that would have taken off on June 23, 2019, compared to just 47 flights that are due to depart today. Airport bosses say that equates to an estimated 5,600 passengers who will pass through Manchester's terminals over this 24 hour period, compared to 104,464 two years earlier.
Staff at all three MAG airports - Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands -are taking part in the day of action. Meanwhile, about 800 pilots, cabin crew and travel agents are expected to add their voices to today's nationwide protest as they gather outside the Palace of Westminster.
Abta wants the government to add more countries to the green list and remove testing and quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated people returning from green and amber countries.
It is also calling for a package of tailored financial support, such as extending the furlough scheme until April 2022.
Charlie Cornish, Manchester Airport G Group CEO, said:
“Aviation has been the sector hardest hit by the pandemic, yet government does not seem to appreciate its economic value or trust its own system for the restart of international travel.
“Despite holding back the recovery of an industry that supports more than 1m jobs, and generates billions of pounds of value, there has been nowhere near the level of support offered to other parts of the economy.
“The whole of the travel industry recognises the need to protect public health and has supported every measure government has required in response to Covid-19.
“However, with so much at stake, it is simply unacceptable that government refuses to explain why it is not opening up travel to many popular destinations.
“Together with airlines, we have been left with no option but to challenge the Government’s lack of transparency, and to protest against the stifling of our recovery through this day of action.”
The government will update its travel lists on Thursday. It will then review the rules for each tier on Monday.
The government is looking at how to scrap the requirement for fully vaccinated people to isolate for 10 days on return from an amber list destination.
And ITV News understands that when the rules are revised, children may be allowed to travel from amber list countries without having to quarantine on arrival in Britain.
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