UK to relax quarantine rules with new testing system

The UK's transport ministry has announced new quarantine rules, potentially providing a much-needed boost to the country's air travel demand.

From 15 December, anyone arriving in England from a destination not on the government's travel corridor list will be able to reduce their quarantine period by more than a week if they test negative for Covid-19 after five days of self-isolation. At the moment, travellers are required to self-isolate for 14 days.

The UK's travel corridor system has constrained the country's jet fuel demand. Jet-kerosine consumption in the UK was just 477,000t (125,000 b/d) in September, more than 60pc lower than the same period last year, according to the latest data from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative.

"Our new testing strategy will allow us to travel more freely, see loved ones and drive international business. By giving people the choice to test on day five, we are also supporting the travel industry as it continues to rebuild out of the pandemic," said UK transport secretary Grant Shapps.

One factor that may hamper the effectiveness of the government's "test to release" scheme is that travellers will have to pay for the tests. Although it has been welcomed by the travel industry, aviation lobby group Airlines UK said it does not go far enough.

"It is a good start and by more than halving the quarantine period we should see demand tentatively return and more routes and destinations become viable once again," Airlines UK chief executive Tim Alderslade said. "That said, a test at day five does not get rid of quarantine and that's why we look forward to working with government to move towards a pre-departure or domestic testing regime that can remove safely the need for self-isolation altogether, as quickly as possible."

By James Keates