We are writing this column in London on Monday, August 2, 2021. From today, double vaccinated passengers from the EU and USA no longer have to quarantine on arrival in the UK. So, for the first time for over a year, there is an opportunity for friends and families separated by COVID-19 to be reunited without having to isolate. A cause for celebration? Yes, but unfortunately just as UK airports are gearing up for this increase in passengers, Border Force staff in Heathrow and Gatwick have been hit by an outbreak of COVID. Today's The Times newspaper reports that this has seen more than one in four of them off work over the weekend. The requirement to introduce spot checks on passengers - as well as issues with technology at e-passport gates - have exacerbated these problems.
展开▼
