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Manchester Airports Group chief executive Charlie Cornish lashes Government for 'sluggish, illogical and chaotic' quarantine rules




The boss of Stansted Airport's parent company has issued a stern rebuke to the Government as the Uttlesford hub expects a third of its normal traffic this August bank holiday weekend.

Charlie Cornish, chief executive of Manchester Airports Group (MAG), said the Conservatives approach to quarantine rules for travellers was "sluggish, illogical and chaotic".

This time last year at Stansted more than 280,000 passengers passed through the terminal, but post Covid-19, the total will be less than a third of that.

Charlie Cornish (41339095)
Charlie Cornish (41339095)

MAG believed the Government was going to discuss a "more realistic and passenger-friendly approach to quarantine decisions" on Monday at its Covid committee. But the meeting did not happen.

Mr Cornish said it was not the first time a critical decision had been delayed with no credible explanation and he saw no evidence that the Government was ready to tackle the greatest crisis the travel industry has ever faced.

Around two million jobs are supported by the sector, with Stansted Airport alone contributing £1bn to the economy each year.

Stansted Airport terminal (41339164)
Stansted Airport terminal (41339164)

With fears of further job losses growing, Mr Cornish compared the UK Government's approach with other countries across the world and said there was no appreciation of airports' critical role.

An appeal for business rates relief was ignored, despite lockdown, but the German governments secured EU state aid approval to compensate its airports for lost revenue and safeguard their futures.

Mr Cornish said: "The failure to recognise the need for direct financial support was disappointing, to say the least, but perhaps not surprising when you consider our Government already places its airports at a competitive disadvantage by levying some of the highest passenger taxes in the world.

"But the impact of this decision has been amplified many times over by its sluggish, chaotic and illogical approach to travel restrictions, an area where we have watched other nations move quickly and decisively while our Government has remained in its own decision-making lockdown.

easyJet protest at Stansted Airport (41339122)
easyJet protest at Stansted Airport (41339122)

"Having initially imposed blanket quarantine rules on all destinations, we eventually saw 'travel corridors' agreed with our most important tourism markets, following a period of stubborn procrastination, which is yet another example of this cabinet's inability to rise above division, put their heads down and agree a common-sense answer.

"But a few short weeks after the key Spanish travel corridor was established, it was effectively closed off again, due to soaring infection rates in the northern regions of Catalonia, Aragon and Navarre. For those planning a trip, there was a glimmer of hope that the Balearic and Canary Islands could remain restriction-free.

"But that prospect was whipped away quicker than a poolside towel left unattended for too long, as Foreign and Commonwealth Advice was aligned with the blanket quarantine rule without clear evidence and announced via media with hours to go before being implemented.

Stansted Airport. Preparations for the 'New Normal' during and after the pandemic. ..Pic: Vikki Lince. (41339155)
Stansted Airport. Preparations for the 'New Normal' during and after the pandemic. ..Pic: Vikki Lince. (41339155)

"Catalonia is closer to Chelmsford than it is to Gran Canaria, making this blanket approach not only unnecessary and illogical but hugely damaging to an already-ailing sector.

"It seems there is an acceptance within the Department for Transport and by the Transport Secretary himself that a regionalised approach is needed, but we find ourselves months down the line and no progress has been made.

Stansted Airport. (41339170)
Stansted Airport. (41339170)

"With another key meeting cancelled this week, cabinet cracks cannot seemingly be papered over, even when it comes to protecting an industry as critical as ours.

"Meanwhile, we have watched the penny drop with other major nations, such as Germany, which has moved quickly to enable travel to popular resorts in the likes of Spain, while adopting a localised, targeted approach to quarantine that the UK has so far refused to consider. It is further ahead of us on testing too.

"As things stand, around 50% of the most popular markets with British tourists have effectively been closed off.

"Some will point to positive news about Portugal becoming restriction-free again, but with so little of our summer remaining, so many popular destinations needlessly closed off, so many jobs at risk and so little confidence our Prime Minister understands this urgency, you can understand why our industry feels left behind."



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