London’s airports ready to start coronavirus testing soon after ministers give go-ahead

London’s airport bosses say they would have passenger testing facilities in place “within days” once the Government has given them the all-clear to introduce them.

Five out of six of the capital’s airports said they were in advanced talks with specialist providers about setting up optional coronavirus testing centres for arriving passengers that could slash the amount of time needed to spend in quarantine from the current 14 days.

However, none will activate the plans until they have been given clear guidelines by ministers.

Stansted, the third biggest, is the most advanced and said it is “ready to go as soon as the Government puts a policy in place”. It has been trialling testing centres in car parks.

Heathrow said it needed about a fortnight “in order for IT integration with airlines to happen” for testing to be operational. The test would cost about £150.

Heathrow has one facility near the immigration hall in Terminal Two and a second being prepared in Terminal Five. Under the Heathrow plan passengers would have one test on arrival and a second a few days later to confirm the reading.

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye told the Standard: “We are ready to go — we just need the Government to give us the green light.

“Our airports support hundreds of thousands of Londoners’ jobs including tourism, education, pharma, tech and professional services. Quarantine has already put many out of work as every day brings news of another great British company laying off skilled workers and setting back the recovery.

“Now it risks destroying the global connectivity that makes London a world city. A melting pot of cultures, and the best place in the world to live and work. Our competitors in Paris and Frankfurt already use testing — either on arrival or after five days, and their economies are powering ahead.”

Southend airport also said it could have testing operational in a fortnight. Chief executive Glyn Jones said the airport was “working hard to make travel safe again, investing in new security equipment, bio-shields, extensive information provision and hand sanitiser every 20 paces. We need government to help restart our industry.”

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