EasyJet urges Britain to keep quarantine rules for short period

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s easyJet urged the government to keep any quarantine requirements on travellers arriving in the UK for only a short period, as airlines face a new threat to their survival.

Airlines across the world have grounded their fleets as the novel coronavirus brought travel to a halt, putting their finances under huge strain. New quarantine rules could slow down and complicate any recovery in demand for travel.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday that a quarantine would soon be needed for people coming into this country by air to prevent infections arriving from abroad.

In response, easyJet said any quarantine restrictions should not last beyond lockdown and should be regularly reviewed.

“Quarantine requirements for passengers should only be in place for a short period, while the UK remains in lockdown,” a spokeswoman for easyJet said in an emailed statement.

“Requirements should be regularly reviewed to ensure they are targeted and proportionate and do not unnecessarily constrain the important role that air travel will have in the UK’s economic recovery.”

(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Kate Holton)