Coronavirus: 'Let us test passengers on Scottish domestic flights,’ demands aviation boss

Exclusive: Gordon Dewar, chief executive at Edinburgh airport, believes a trial on island flights will demonstrate the benefits of testing

Arriving soon? Testing could be introduced for travellers to Stornoway

A senior airport boss has challenged the government to allow a pilot programme of airport testing on flights within Scotland.

Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh airport, is calling for all passengers flying from the mainland to the islands to be tested before departures.

Coronavirus infection rates are much lower on the isles than on the mainland, but at present no checks are made on travellers by air or ferry.

“Why don't we offer a test for those travelling to the islands of Scotland, where there are very low infection rates?

“That's quite attractive to us because it's relatively low volumes, small aircraft and all the benefits stay in Scotland.

"Probably most important of all it’s a departure test, which is quite hard to justify most other cases because you're trying to protect your own population. But of course the islands are our own population.

“So actually having a pilot that's protecting the islands seems to me to be a relatively low scale, hopefully affordable (although we’ve got to prove that), and certainly deliverable test.

“It certainly doesn't have any additional risk because these people are travelling anyway. So why not put some testing in?”

Mr Dewar said in order for such a scheme to work, the ferry operators must adopt the same process.

“It would only work if we get the ferries as well: this is about everybody going to the islands.

“If these systems are going to work they've got to look at the whole problem, not bits of the problem.”

Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said:“Luckily, visionary bosses in aviation are trying to protect important British infrastructure, and progress at speed with sensible and logical solutions."

The Independent has asked the Scottish government for a response.