Ryanair welcomed EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) guidance on Covid-19 safety for airlines and airports and urged the UK government to drop imposition of 14-day quarantine rules on arrivals.
Budget giant Ryanair said the guidelines would allow tourism to restart within the EU in July and August.
EASA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued a joint document on health and safety for air passengers, airport and airline staff once flights resume at scale.
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Ryanair plans to resume up to 50% of its flights from July 1.
The carrier claimed the UK and Irish quarantine measures would be “unimplementable” and called on both governments to drop them.
The UK announced plans on May 10 to require all arrivals to go into 14-day self-isolation, but has yet to confirm full details.
However, the measure is expected to be introduced from early June and apply to almost all arrivals for an initial three to four weeks.
Ryanair’s group chief executive Michael O’Leary said: “14 day quarantines are ineffective and unimplementable.”
He argued: “Requiring international arrivals to quarantine only after they have used multiple public transport providers to get from the airport to their ultimate destination has no basis in science.
“We strongly urge Europe’s governments to mandate the wearing of face masks for airline, train and (London) underground passengers, as the best and most effective way to limit the spread of Covid-19 in public transport environments where social distancing is not possible.”
O’Leary said: “We call again on the Irish and UK government to abandon their unexplainable, ineffective, and unimplementable quarantine restrictions.
“Europe’s citizens can travel safely on their summer holidays wearing face masks and observing temperature protocols, but 14-day quarantines have no scientific basis.”
Meanwhile, European Regions Airline Association director general Montserrat Barriga said: “ERA recently called for a harmonised approach to safely reconnect and reunite Europe by air travel.
“I am hopeful that EASA’s new guidelines will provide this much needed co-ordination amongst the industry and allow us to return to operation in a safe and aligned manner.
“I am pleased to say many of the measures suggested are in line with ERA’s recommendations and believe these practical actions will provide travellers with confidence to start flying again as soon as possible.”
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