Dubai Airports CEO urges changes to quarantine rules to boost economy

Speaking to DubaiEye's Business Breakfast, Dubai Airports Chief Executive Officer, Paul Griffiths, says the current approach to COVID-19 quarantine measures is incompatible with keeping the global economy mobile.

Griffiths says the aviation industry would benefit from a unified approach to reduce quarantine times in combination with additional testing.

Griffiths said further measures will have to be taken to protect the sector in 2021 and recommends moving quickly into a risk-management phase.

The CEO also reassured people that air travel is safe and more than one million PCR tests have been carried out at Dubai Airports.

Griffiths said the infection rates at the airports and on planes are extremely low, adding that 15,000 PCR tests are being conducted daily.

He said the company has been operating on a reduced capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He believes that the social and economic pressure of the pandemic seems to be getting worse and that fewer people might be in a position to travel in the future.

Griffiths said the aviation industry has to create more e-commerce options in the long term.

Despite the recent downturn in passengers, the CEO believes there is cause for some optimism.

Griffiths says the hospitality sector has a great opportunity to collaborate with airlines and airports to produce more cost-effective integrated products, and Dubai is in a good position to benefit.