Article from BTNews 22 JUNE 2020
Business Aviation in Home Office row
In what only can be described at best ‘a slight’ the complaints department of the Home Office, in the form of a clerk, has replied to a detailed letter on the 14-day quarantine rule from the British Business General Aviation Association (BBGA) to Minister Priti Patel, merely directing the Association to Government policy.
“We wrote to her with some confidence – following what we believed to have been good progress in moving our proposals forward to a trial – especially as much more affordable, on site rapid testing machines are now becoming available,” said Encouraging feedback from the Department for Transport (DfT) stretched right up to Kelly Tolhurst, the Aviation Minister.
The UK’s controversial 14-day quarantine restrictions went ahead on 8 June.
“This is an extremely disappointing outcome,” said Marc Bailey. “It is, once again, a systematic neglect to listen to the private sector when it offers innovative solutions during the national crisis that will help save lives, retain jobs and benefit the economy.
“The Government’s failure to engage with our progressive plan takes us to a dangerous cliff edge, especially with MPs still arguing about the need to see the next review at the end of June.”
THE GOOD NEWS - The BBGA is challenging the response. The BBGA proposals were based on the testing practices currently underway at Vienna Airport. At the weekend the Government announced it would be exploring a similar testing solution.
OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum