Last modified on Fri 9 Apr 2021 12.31 EDT
Covid testing and health certificates must not be allowed to become norms for international travel, airlines say.
Willie Walsh, the new director general of the International Air Transport Association (Iata), said emergency measures to manage the crisis and facilitate travel risked becoming permanent unless airlines and consumers challenged them.
He criticised the extent and costs of testing regimes for travel, as new figures showed international air passenger numbers declined to just 11% of pre-pandemic levels in February.
The UK government requires three tests and a quarantine period for inbound travellers, and this week indicated that some tests would remain even for the safest, “green-light” countries once international leisure is permitted again, potentially from 17 May.
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The International Air Transport Association (Iata) s new chief urged governments to put an end to monopolistic pricing behaviour by some airports and others in the aviation supply chain.
Some airports, such as London s Heathrow, and air traffic control companies are exploiting a weakened airline industry by raising their prices in a bid to recoup some of the losses they suffered in 2020, Willie Walsh, Iata s newly-appointed director general, said on Wednesday in his first press briefing in the role. We cannot accept and we will not accept monopolistic-type behaviours from key elements of the value chain who may seek to recover their losses that they ve incurred in 2020 from the industry as we seek to get going again, he said.
Covid testing must not become new norm to fly, says airline trade body msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Work on cross-border recognition of vaccine certification may take a while, said Dr Janil Puthucheary. PHOTO: GOV.SG
JUSTIN ONG, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
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It will be easy and convenient in the future for people to show they have been vaccinated against Covid-19, including for those without smartphones.
Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary said the Ministry of Health will, when ready, release details on how individuals can show their valid vaccination status.
He was responding yesterday to Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar GRC) on whether Singaporeans unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons will be given cards or letters to show to retail staff, in the event they are blocked from entering stores.
SINGAPORE - It will be easy and convenient in future for people to show they have been vaccinated against Covid-19, including for those without smartphones.
Senior Minister of State for Health Janil Puthucheary said the Ministry of Health will, when ready, release details on how individuals can show their valid vaccination status.
He was responding to Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar GRC) on whether Singaporeans unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons would be given cards or letters to show to retail staff in the event they are blocked from entering stores in future.
Dr Janil and Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung also told Parliament that government agencies are actively discussing with international counterparts on the possible mutual recognition of vaccination certificates to enable cross-border travel.