BA, Ryanair, easyJet protest over 'wholly unjustified' UK quarantine plan

[webfact]

BA, Ryanair, easyJet protest over 'wholly unjustified' UK quarantine plan

 

FILE PHOTO: A British Airways passenger plane comes in to land at London Heathrow airport, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), London, Britain, May 21, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Three airlines have written to the British government in protest at its "wholly unjustified and disproportionate" quarantine rules for most international arrivals from Monday, a copy of the letter seen by Reuters showed.

 

With planes around the world grounded since late March, airlines had hoped to start flying from July, but bosses say quarantine measures will hamper that recovery.

 

From June 8, almost everyone arriving in Britain will be required to self-isolate for 14 days and to fill in a contact form with details of their accommodation.

 

Describing itself as a "pre-action protocol letter," meaning it could be followed by legal action, the letter from British Airways, Ryanair <RYA.I> and easyJet <EZJ.L> said the government had failed to justify the blanket nature of the regulations.

 

"The effect is to establish a wholly unjustified and disproportionate restriction on individuals traveling to England (and questionably the United Kingdom) and will inevitably mean that there is very little increase in the numbers of persons leaving and entering the country," the letter said.

 

Willie Walsh, the chief executive of BA owner IAG <ICAG.L> said on Friday the industry had not been consulted and the company was considering a legal challenge.

 

The government has said the new regime will be in place across Britain, although enforcement measures will be set individually by each of the devolved nations. In England, a breach of rules will be punishable with a 1,000 pounds ($1,266) fine.

 

The airlines say the quarantine measures are more stringent than those imposed on people suspected of being or confirmed to be infected by the novel coronavirus who are asked to isolate and do not face criminal sanctions.

 

Their letter also said it was "illogical and irrational" to impose quarantine on people arriving from European Union countries that have lower infection rates than Britain.

 

($1 = 0.7897 pounds)

 

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; editing by Barbara Lewis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-08

 

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[canopus1969]

I get what they are saying, after all only 40,000+ have died so far from the virus

[Thailand]

The UK are so far behind other countries apart from Brazil and the US in getting their act together with Covid they should be compensating many of this type of business. But even then the "reopening" has to be done with care.

[bkk6060]

Airlines may be one of the worst poorly managed businesses in the world.

How selfish of these airlines to only be thinking about money and not the health and lives of people.

Shameful, I hope no one flies them.

Edited June 8, 2020 by bkk6060

[bert bloggs]

No problem ,fly with Emirates to Dublin ,no quarantine ,then bus to Belfast and Easy jet flight to England ,job done no quarantine????

[johng]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

wholly unjustified and disproportionate" quarantine rules for most international arrivals from Monday,

The time for quarantine has long past,   it might have had some effect if implemented in January  now it will just further devastate the economy.

[from the home of CC]

If you're going to do this, put some teeth in it at least. the cops are coming to peoples homes in Canada to check because it's just not for show (which is what is sounds like in the UK according to some other posts). Your proposed system seems to rely upon people being responsible and performing the correct actions and that makes the outcome bleak imo.. 

 

 

 https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html#f

 

 

[Bluespunk]

If Ryanair is against it, I am for it...

Edited June 8, 2020 by Bluespunk

[Baerboxer]

5 hours ago, Thailand said:

The UK are so far behind other countries apart from Brazil and the US in getting their act together with Covid they should be compensating many of this type of business. But even then the "reopening" has to be done with care.

 

They shouldn't be compensating any private companies more than the generous funding that has been provided. Far in excess of most other countries.

 

Greedy airlines, especially that little leprechaun at Ryanair can go fcku themselves. They've been doing it to passengers for years!

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, from the home of CC said:

If you're going to do this, put some teeth in it at least. the cops are coming to peoples homes in Canada to check because it's just not for show (which is what is sounds like in the UK according to some other posts). Your proposed system seems to rely upon people being responsible and performing the correct actions and that makes the outcome bleak imo.. 

 

 

 https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html#f

 

 

 

Canada has a left wing leadership. They'll love the chance to exert more control on people. The left is all about control and distrusting people. They judge others by their own standards.

[phantomfiddler]

When is the world population going to realize ? It has been conned ????

[from the home of CC]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Canada has a left wing leadership. They'll love the chance to exert more control on people. The left is all about control and distrusting people. They judge others by their own standards.

nah, in this case it's about public health and not having the virus get the better of us, though i guess in some locales it doesn't matter too much for it's out of control anyways..

[gamini]

8 hours ago, Thailand said:

The UK are so far behind other countries apart from Brazil and the US in getting their act together with Covid they should be compensating many of this type of business. But even then the "reopening" has to be done with care.

per capita  The UK has the highest death in the world from the virus. why? 

[BritManToo]

46 minutes ago, gamini said:

per capita  The UK has the highest death in the world from the virus. why? 

Probably because they aren't lying about the number of deaths like everyone else.

[Magenta408]

Hashtag Bojo and Priti Patel. Come on down and spin the wheel.

[Pedrogaz]

6 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

If Ryanair is against it, I am for it...

Only flew them once, never again. 

[Pedrogaz]

The quarantine is a huge problem for me personally BUT I support it. Countries that have had it like Japan, Thailand have very low rates of infection compared to the UK and much, much lower case mortality rates.

I'd rather decisions like this be made with data, so how many people in the UK have been infected by travellers from abroad? I can't make any assumption that anyone has actually analysed the data, but the quarantine has not been in force for long so there must be a lot of data. Sadly the government politicise the data and it becomes meaningless in decision making. 

[Nigel Garvie]

1 hour ago, Pedrogaz said:

The quarantine is a huge problem for me personally BUT I support it. Countries that have had it like Japan, Thailand have very low rates of infection compared to the UK and much, much lower case mortality rates.

I'd rather decisions like this be made with data, so how many people in the UK have been infected by travellers from abroad? I can't make any assumption that anyone has actually analysed the data, but the quarantine has not been in force for long so there must be a lot of data. Sadly the government politicise the data and it becomes meaningless in decision making. 

I support it also. Hoping to go back to Scotland with the missus, early July if Thailand allows EU planes to land here. The irony is coming from CM in the North, we have had no virus cases for more than 6 weeks I believe. Back in the UK where we are in much much more danger, we will have to quarantine for 2 weeks. 

No wonder the Thais don't want Europeans or Americans coming here.

[Enoon]

11 hours ago, bert bloggs said:

No problem ,fly with Emirates to Dublin ,no quarantine ,then bus to Belfast and Easy jet flight to England ,job done no quarantine????

 

As long as you spend 14 days in the Republic before "bus to Belfast":

 

"Travellers will only be exempt from quarantine if they have been in the CTA for 14 days or more.

You will have to show proof of when you entered the CTA, and how long you have spent there - such as a boarding pass or itinerary - when you enter the UK."

 

 

Edited June 8, 2020 by Enoon

[Purdey]

On 6/8/2020 at 8:20 AM, webfact said:

Their letter also said it was "illogical and irrational" to impose quarantine on people arriving from European Union countries that have lower infection rates than Britain.

Lower doesn't mean zero. What are they saying?