Grayling to launch fresh push for airport Covid-19 testing

By Richard Wheeler, PA Parliamentary Editor

Ministers will face renewed pressure to introduce Covid-19 testing for passengers flying on key routes to and from the UK.

Conservative former transport secretary Chris Grayling will lead a 90-minute Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday on the future of the aviation industry.

It is expected he will press the Government to “unlock” the sector by introducing arrival and departure testing at airports.

Mr Grayling has previously called on ministers to work with the industry to carry out test trials as an alternative to the current quarantining system.

International travellers arriving in the UK are required to self-isolate for 14 days.

Speaking in a Commons debate in September, Mr Grayling told MPs: “At least let us try testing on some key routes, track very carefully what happens to the passengers on those routes, see if there really is a problem and establish whether we can make airport testing work to allow the airline industry to get going, not just locally within Europe but some of the international routes that are so important to them.”