Europe’s airline and airport associations are warning European leaders that they have deep concerns over failures to implement coherent and science-based approaches to travel restrictions.
In a letter from the Airports Council International Europe (ACI EUROPE), Airlines for Europe (A4E), and the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the organizations were highly critical of the new restrictions relating to select countries. The restrictions, the organizations said, were inconsistent with principles laid out by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
“The European Aviation sector is urging EU/Schengen States and the UK to reconsider restriction to travel that have been imposed between them – including quarantines,” the organizations said in their letter. “We fail to see any valid science-based and proportionate justification for such restrictions from a health policy perspective.”
The association urged leaders to coordinate and align responses with the evolving epidemiological situation at EU level and in close co-operation with the UK, as well as re-enforce risk-based and proportionate measures on a localized instead of country-wide level, ensure the interoperability of contract tracing apps, harmonize the implementation of EASA/ECDC and ICAO Take-Off Aviation Health Safety Protocols, and to inform the public about the restrictions.
The groups said the aviation sector said despite repeated calls for science-based, harmonized and coordinated approaches to restrictions, differing national approaches had emerged, some of which are contrary to expert guidance and are further damaging consumer confidence in an industry dealt a crippling blow by the pandemic.