BBC News - Richard Bond
Companies in and around Stansted Airport say business has been hit by the lockdown and they are worried new rules requiring travellers to go into quarantine for two weeks, will hold back their recovery.
In normal times, about 12,000 people are employed directly at the airport with some 9,000 in the vicinity.
Penny Stephens, of Inflite Jet Centre, runs one of several private jet firms flying executives around the world and has seen business dip by 60%, with three-quarters of staff furloughed.
"Businessmen won't want to be coming to the UK and having to go into quarantine for two weeks," she said.
Meanwhile Terry Farthing of London Jet Charter expects trade to pick up once there are changes to the quarantine regulations, adding the measure was "like a brick wall to UK PLC".
Karen Slater, whose Inspire Me Travel company supplies specialist holidays such as wildlife and opera tours, said her bookings were down 99% and that the quarantine rules made it "impossible" for her to promote her business.
