Passengers queue in the departures area of Heathrow Airport after the travel ban was lifted. Reuters
Passengers queue in the departures area of Heathrow Airport after the travel ban was lifted. Reuters
Passengers queue in the departures area of Heathrow Airport after the travel ban was lifted. Reuters
Passengers queue in the departures area of Heathrow Airport after the travel ban was lifted. Reuters

Passengers could face eight-hour airport waits due to Covid checks


Tim Stickings
  • English
  • Arabic

Covid checks at airports could leave passengers facing an eight-hour wait in departures and arrivals, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.

The IATA said the time needed to get through check-in, security, border control and baggage claim had already doubled to three hours, even with travel at reduced capacity.

If passenger numbers returned to pre-Covid levels, this would rise to eight hours per trip, it said.

IATA director-general Willie Walsh urged governments to agree on standards for digital health certificates to reduce delays.

“Nobody will tolerate waiting hours at check-in or for border formalities,” he said.

“The technical solutions exist. But governments must agree digital certificate standards and align processes to accept them. And they must act fast.”

Britain lifted its ban on foreign holidays on May 17 but quarantine-free travel is only possible to a small list of approved countries.

Meanwhile, France and Germany have placed tougher restrictions on Britain because of fears over the B.1.617.2 variant first identified in India.

The travel industry wants the green list to be expanded to include countries such as Spain, which is opening its doors to British tourists.

"I fear the government is going to drag its feet on Spain," Heathrow Airport chief executive John Holland-Kaye told the Daily Telegraph.

“I think that will be a mistake and the reason for that is that very few people are flying in spite of all the hype we see.”

The EU hopes to bring in a certificate by the end of June that would allow people to prove they have been vaccinated, tested negative for Covid-19 or recently recovered from the disease.

British Airways planes at Heathrow Airport in London. EPA
British Airways planes at Heathrow Airport in London. EPA

EU members will be obliged to accept vaccines approved by the European Medicines Agency, which has authorised the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson shots.

Countries may also choose to accept other vaccines, such as Russia’s Sputnik V shot or China’s Sinopharm.

Britain is still developing its plans for Covid certification, but passengers can view.  their vaccine status on the NHS smartphone app.

The IATA called on leaders who are meeting in Britain at next month's G7 summit to agree terms for a universal certificate.

“A good first step would be G7 agreement, with industry input, on a common set of Covid-19 travel requirements,” Mr Walsh said.

“If the G7 took these leadership measures, the freedom to travel could be seamlessly restored for about a third of all journeys. Other countries could build on that leadership for a safe and efficient global restart of connectivity.”

According to the IATA’s figures, passengers typically spent an hour and a half in the airport before the pandemic. This has doubled to three hours, mainly because of longer waits at check-in and border control.

It said the total time would reach five and a half hours if traffic returned to 75 per cent of its pre-crisis levels and eight hours at 100 per cent traffic.

Passenger numbers are currently at about 30 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, Mr Walsh said.

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

DUBAI SEVENS 2018 DRAW

Gulf Men’s League
Pool A – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Bahrain, Dubai Sports City Eagles
Pool B – Jebel Ali Dragons, Abu Dhabi Saracens, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Al Ain Amblers

Gulf Men’s Open
Pool A – Bahrain Firbolgs, Arabian Knights, Yalla Rugby, Muscat
Pool B – Amman Citadel, APB Dubai Sharks, Jebel Ali Dragons 2, Saudi Rugby
Pool C – Abu Dhabi Harlequins 2, Roberts Construction, Dubai Exiles 2
Pool D – Dubai Tigers, UAE Shaheen, Sharjah Wanderers, Amman Citadel 2

Gulf U19 Boys
Pool A – Deira International School, Dubai Hurricanes, British School Al Khubairat, Jumeirah English Speaking School B
Pool B – Dubai English Speaking College 2, Jumeirah College, Dubai College A, Abu Dhabi Harlequins 2
Pool C – Bahrain Colts, Al Yasmina School, DESC, DC B
Pool D – Al Ain Amblers, Repton Royals, Dubai Exiles, Gems World Academy Dubai
Pool E – JESS A, Abu Dhabi Sharks, Abu Dhabi Harlequins 1, EC

Gulf Women
Pool A – Kuwait Scorpions, Black Ruggers, Dubai Sports City Eagles, Dubai Hurricanes 2
Pool B – Emirates Firebirds, Sharjah Wanderers, RAK Rides, Beirut Aconites
Pool C – Dubai Hurricanes, Emirates Firebirds 2, Abu Dhabi Saracens, Transforma Panthers
Pool D – AUC Wolves, Dubai Hawks, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Al Ain Amblers

Gulf U19 Girls
Pool A – Dubai Exiles, BSAK, DESC, Al Maha
Pool B – Arabian Knights, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Abu Dhabi Harlequins

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

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Second Test, Day 2:

South Africa 335 & 75/1 (22.0 ov)
England 205
South Africa lead by 205 runs with 9 wickets remaining

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The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):

British group

Coldplay

Foals

Bring me the Horizon

D-Block Europe

Bastille

British Female

Mabel

Freya Ridings

FKA Twigs

Charli xcx

Mahalia​

British male

Harry Styles

Lewis Capaldi

Dave

Michael Kiwanuka

Stormzy​

Best new artist

Aitch

Lewis Capaldi

Dave

Mabel

Sam Fender

Best song

Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care

Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up

Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant

Dave - Location

Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart

AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove

Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved

Tom Walker - Just You and I

Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger

Stormzy - Vossi Bop

International female

Ariana Grande

Billie Eilish

Camila Cabello

Lana Del Rey

Lizzo

International male

Bruce Springsteen

Burna Boy

Tyler, The Creator

Dermot Kennedy

Post Malone

Best album

Stormzy - Heavy is the Head

Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka

Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent

Dave - Psychodrama

Harry Styles - Fine Line

Rising star

Celeste

Joy Crookes

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Key Points
  • Protests against President Omar Al Bashir enter their sixth day
  • Reports of President Bashir's resignation and arrests of senior government officials
CREW
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea