Northern Ireland

Head of Belfast International Airport tells of 'great disappointment and dismay' about 14-day quarantine for travellers

People who enters Northern Ireland from outside the Common Travel Area will be required to self isolate for 14 days
People who enters Northern Ireland from outside the Common Travel Area will be required to self isolate for 14 days People who enters Northern Ireland from outside the Common Travel Area will be required to self isolate for 14 days

THE head of Belfast International Airport last night spoke of his "great disappointment and dismay" that a 14 day quarantine will be introduced for most people arriving into Northern Ireland.

Graham Keddie said the measures will have "very severe economic and social consequences".

Anyone who enters Northern Ireland from outside the Common Travel Area will be required to self isolate for a fortnight as part of new regulations being prepared by the executive.

It will apply to anyone who has been abroad within two weeks of their arrival.

The Common Travel Area covers the UK, Republic, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

British Home Secretary Priti Patel yesterday said the devolved administrations for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales would be laying their own regulations to set out their enforcement approaches.

Defending the plans, which would require most people arriving in the UK to quarantine for a fortnight, she said they were "essential" to save lives.

She is under pressure from Tory MPs who have warned that the measures - which are coming into force on Monday - will cause huge damage to the travel and aviation sectors as they recover from the coronavirus outbreak.

But publishing the detailed regulations for England in the House of Commons, she said they were "backed by the science" and were crucial to ensure the gains made in fighting the virus were not lost.

They include fixed penalty notices of £1,000 or prosecution for anyone who breaches their self-isolation requirements.

Mr Keddie hit out at the plans and said it will impact travel to and from Northern Ireland.

"We note with great disappointment and dismay that the Northern Ireland Executive has decided to press ahead with the 14 day quarantine for anyone outside the Common Travel Area without any consultation with the industry," he said.

"These measures will have very severe economic and social consequences not just on our business but also on the wider aviation and tourism industry as well as on all the other sectors that rely heavily on aviation connectivity.

"It is essential that public health is prioritised above all else, however, we need well thought out, workable measures with clear guidelines that can be enforced.

"We will continue to work with our industry trade body, the Airport Operators Association to urge local and national government to remove this damaging and seemingly unworkable policy at a time when Europe is opening up."

Concerns have also been raised that passengers travelling via Dublin Airport may not be subject to Northern Ireland's quarantine rules.

Mr Keddie added: "Yet again Northern Ireland will be left at a serious disadvantage as those passengers transiting through airports in the Republic of Ireland and travelling to Northern Ireland will not be subject to the same quarantine measures and creates a serious imbalance and further confusion at an already difficult time.

"It is difficult to see how this can be effectively enforced or will do anything other than destroy what’s left of the travel and tourism industry."