Some airline operators have threatened to take legal actions against the British government for insisting that all arrivals self-isolate for 14 days on entry into the country. The directive by the UK government is to take effect this Monday, as the country gradually eases lockdown.
One of the operators Mike O'Leary, the Group Chief Executive of low-cost airline Ryanair, lamented that the directive could lead to loss of millions of jobs. He also informed that the move would have a devastating effect on the UK tourism industry.
"We are seeing thousands of British families booking their holidays in Portugal, Spain, and Italy, but there's almost a collapse of inward bookings bringing those Europeans here to the UK, on which Britain's tourism industry depends. What is irrational about the directive is that all of those countries have much lower COVID-19 rates than the UK." O'Leary informed.
The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the quarantine requirement, expected to last till June 28, was necessary to prevent those arriving from abroad unknowingly spreading the virus. Meanwhile, arrivals from Ireland are exempted from the new rule.
Ryanair, EasyJet, and British Airways owner IAG have already written the government threatening legal action to stop the disproportionate and unfair measure
