BA ‘to sue ministers’

Airlines threaten legal action over 14-day arrival quarantine

BRITISH Airways threatened the Government with legal action over its travel quarantine plan yesterday.

Willie Walsh, chief executive of the airline’s parent company IAG, revealed he is exploring a potential lawsuit against the ‘irrational and disproportionate’ measures coming into effect on Monday.

The threat was backed by other industry leaders, including BA’s rival Ryanair.

It came after Home Secretary Priti Patel tried to reassure travel chiefs the 14-day quarantine for all arrivals in the country could be watered down or scrapped by the end of the month.

In a video meeting on Thursday night, she told them that aviation companies and other travel organisations should come up with ‘innovative solutions’ that would allow quarantine-free holidays abroad. But airlines say her measures, which will not be reviewed until June 29, make it impossible to get fully up and running until well into July at the earliest.

They warned it could be a death knell for the sector as it effectively cancels the summer holidays.

They want ministers to immediately start work on ‘air bridges’, where countries strike deals on quarantine-free travel both ways.

Mr Walsh told Sky News: ‘We think it’s irrational and disproportionate and we are giving consideration to a legal challenge.

‘I suspect there are other airlines who are doing so because it’s important to point out there was no consultation with the industry prior to enacting this legislation and we do believe it’s an irrational piece of legislation.’

A spokesman for Ryanair said it ‘will support any legal action launched by IAG against this ineffective quarantine’.

One industry insider said: ‘The concept of air bridges is understood and now it just needs the Government to get clearance within Whitehall and establish the criteria and countries. It’s not fair to pass the buck to us. The call [with Mrs Patel] wasn’t great. No commitment or clarity from the Government.’

Another source said: ‘From Monday, the clock starts ticking. The Government has three weeks to finally demonstrate action that it is in support of the industry and a restart.

‘Failure to do so will cost thousands of jobs and livelihoods, as the current picture is not sustainable for anyone.’

It is understood that virus testing – on both outbound and inbound journeys – could form part of the alternative to quarantine if the industry can find a way to implement and fund it.

Plans will be developed in the coming weeks, sources say.

The Government has vowed to review the measures every three weeks, meaning the aviation industry must have any alternative programme in place by June 29 if the quarantine is to be varied at the very first opportunity.

It comes as tourism bosses begged ministers to get UK resorts open next month amid reports of a bookings rush at ‘staycation’ hotspots such as Devon, Dorset and the Lake District.

Tourism businesses cannot reopen until lockdown restrictions are further eased.

‘Existential battle for businesses’