IAG calls on UK government to take action on international travel

IAG calls on government action through four key measures

IAG, the owner of British Airways, has announced that it is “ready to fly” and is calling upon the government to implement action to resume international travel.

The airline company has called for “travel corridors without restrictions” between specific countries to respond to substantial pent-up demand among Brits.

It is thought that some holidays abroad could be allowed as England continues to come out of lockdown. The much anticipated “green list” of countries with the least travel rules is expected to be announced soon.

IAG, owner of a number of airlines including BA, said it is “doing everything in our power to emerge in a stronger competitive position.”

“We’re absolutely confident that a safe re-start to travel can happen as shown by the scientific data,” said Luis Gallego, IAG chief executive.

The entire industry is eagerly anticipating further information of the government’s traffic light system. Gallego has called on the government to take action via four key measures.

The measures IAG demanded are as follows:

• Travel corridors without restrictions between countries with successful vaccination rollouts and effective testing such us the UK and the US
  
• Affordable, simple and proportionate testing to replace quarantine and multi-layered testing
  
• Well-staffed borders using contactless technology including e-gates to ensure a safe, smooth flow of people and frictionless travel
  
• Digital passes for testing and vaccination documentation to facilitate international travel

In the meantime, IAG has increased its cargo-only flights over the last quarter to 1,306, up from 969 during thee three months before.

“Cargo has enabled us to operate a more extensive passenger long-haul network,” said Mr Gallego. “It generated €350m in revenue, a record for quarter one.”

Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said that cargo offered “relief” to the airline, but the “pain of lost passenger bookings is severe”.

“British Airways owner IAG is still in emergency mode, battening down the hatches as global travel remains in limbo pushing bookings to a fraction of usual levels,” she said.

The IAG share price has rallied recently as passengers await further announcements by the government.