"New British Airways CEO wants Covid-19 testing done before departure"

" \n Sean Doyle made his first public appearance in his new capacity as British Airways\u2019 CEO. He urged the government to introduce a pre-departure COVID testing regime in place of current quarantine regulations, which he says are hampering the recovery of the economy. \n \n\n \n He also requested a \u201cfundamental rethink\u201d for air travel between the UK and the US. \n \n\n \n The new boss of BA is calling for an urgent pre-flight testing regime. Photo: Getty Images \n \n\n \n Reliable pre-flight tests key to reassurance \n \n\n \n In his first speech since taking over the role, British Airways\u2019 new CEO, Sean Doyle , called for an immediate introduction of comprehensive pre-departure COVID-testing . Delivering the keynote address at the \u201cAirlines 2050: Beyond the Crisis\u201d digital conference this morning, the new boss at BA said, \n \n\n \n \u201cWe believe the best way to reassure people is to introduce a reliable and affordable test before flying. For the UK, this approach reduces the stress on NHS testing systems within the UK and on policing the quarantine system.\u201d \n \n\n \n The former Aer Lingus chief executive further stated that following the recent investigation by IATA, which showed as few as 44 cases of COVID-19 linked to onboard transmission since the beginning of the year, he believes the public health risks from flying at this time are low. \n \n\n \n Sean Doyle, formerly of Aer Lingus, believed the UK quarantine scheme is hindering the economy from bouncing back. Photo: Aer Lingus \n \n\n \n Test-and-release not enough \n \n\n \n Mr Doyle furthermore expressed concerns about the impact current quarantine regulations are having and will continue to have on the UK economy. Doyle stated, \n \n\n \n \u201cWe need to get the economy moving again, and this just isn\u2019t possible when you are asking people to quarantine for 14 days. It is our view that even if that quarantine period is reduced to say seven days, people won\u2019t travel here and the UK will get left behind.\u201d \n \n\n \n The seven days to which he is referring could be the new quarantine time frame under a plan for a new testing program. As announced by the UK\u2019s Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, last week, it would allow travelers to take a COVID test one week after arrival. If the test comes back negative, they may end their isolation. \n \n\n \n Private health care providers would perform the tests, and travelers would pay for them themselves. No official start date for the scheme has been decided. \n \n\n \n BA\u2019s Heathrow to JFK route is usually the world\u2019s most profitable. Photo: Getty Images \n \n\n \n World\u2019s most profitable route in near-hibernation \n \n\n \n The airline and its CEO are understandably keen on getting traffic between the UK and the US back up and running in earnest. Under normal circumstances, British Airways operates the world\u2019s most profitable route between London Heathrow and New York\u2019s JFK. \n \n\n \n When OAG compiled its list for 2018-2019, the route earned BA over $1.1 billion. Currently, the carrier is burning through close to $30 million per day and operating only two daily departures on its billion-dollar route, compared to a pre-crisis 12. \n \n\n \n \u201cWe need a fundamental rethink. Air connectivity between the UK and the USA is fundamental,\u201d Mr Doyle said.Advertisement: \n \n\n \n Sean Doyle recently took over as chief executive of the British flag carrier after almost two years in the same position at IAG stablemate Aer Lingus. He superseded Alex Cruz , who had held the position since 2016. \n "

"New British Airways CEO wants Covid-19 testing done before departure"

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