London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Heathrow trialling passenger temperature checks

Heathrow trialling passenger temperature checks

The boss of Heathrow Airport has told MPs that it is trialling large-scale temperature checks as the aviation industry struggles with coronavirus.

He said they are already being carried out at departure gates on people going to places where this is a requirement.

John Holland-Kaye urged the government to produce a plan on what common standards airports should adopt.

"If you want to get the UK economy started again, you have to get the aviation sector started again."

Mr Holland-Kaye said the introduction of common standards would allow airlines to start flying again more frequently. Thousands of flights have been cancelled due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions.

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, who was also giving evidence, told MPs that airlines have outlined three levels of measures, with the idea that each country adopts a specific level.

Any flight between two destinations would have to comply with the highest level, with staff wearing personal protective equipment and all passengers wearing masks under the strictest level three, for example.

Several airlines have written to the government suggesting such a "graded system" of restrictions to contain the spread while a more lasting solution is worked out.


'Cannot afford to wait'

Mr Holland-Kaye told the Transport Select Committee: "If we are told that the only solution until we can get a vaccine in 12 to 18 months' time is to socially distance in an airport, then tens of thousands of jobs will be cut.

"We cannot afford to wait that long to get flying again," he added.

Mr Holland-Kaye called for additional government support for the aviation sector as it battles with the coronavirus crisis.

He argued that the French, German and US governments, who have provided large, bespoke rescue packages for their aviation industries saw them as "fundamental", and suggested that was not the case in the UK.

Heathrow's boss also revealed that he has not spoken to the UK's Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, since the beginning of the pandemic.

In comparison, he said the boss of Paris' main airport, Charles de Gaulle, had told him that he has spoken to the equivalent of the French Transport Secretary on every day of the crisis.

John Holland-Kaye said it was a "very different picture" in the UK, although he said the airport had had "regular calls" with the UK's junior minister who is in charge of aviation.

"It's not clear the (UK) government understands the strategic role that aviation plays for the economy", he said.

The Transport Select Committee was told that large numbers of frontline jobs at Heathrow were at risk unless operations resumed soon.

The hearing follows the announcement by Virgin Atlantic on Tuesday that it is cutting more than 3,000 jobs in the UK and ending its operation at Gatwick airport for the time being.

Virgin Atlantic, which is in the process of applying for emergency loans from the government, said that jobs will be lost across the board.

The airline currently employs a total of about 10,000 people.

Meanwhile claims for refunds on cancelled flights are "through the roof", according to Airlines UK's Mr Alderslade.

He said it was impossible to comply with the law, which requires a refund is given within seven days. He said there should be a system in place that tells passengers it is physically impossible to comply.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×