Ryanair boss criticises ‘idiotic’ plan to quarantine plane passengers

THE EUROPEAN Commission and the boss of Ryanair have criticised the Government’s plans to quarantine visitors for at least two weeks upon their arrival in the UK.

In his address to the nation on Sunday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed it would “soon be time” to “impose quarantine on people coming into this country by air” as the UK battles to keep its coronavirus transmission rate down.

He has since confirmed that those travelling in from Ireland and France will be exempt from the measures.

The European Commission criticised the decision not to apply the exemption to all European Union nations which are in a similar stage of their coronavirus outbreak to the UK.

Ryanair chief executive

Michael O’Leary, meanwhile, labelled the policy “idiotic” and called for Ministers to instead introduce airport checks which would allow holidaymakers to start embarking on his planes once again.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that people are unlikely to be able to go on foreign holidays this summer, despite Ryanair’s plans to restore 40 per cent of its flights from July.

Asked whether “summer was cancelled”, Mr Hancock told ITV’s This Morning: “I think that’s likely to be the case.”

He added: “It is unlikely that big, lavish international holidays are going to be possible for this summer. I just think that’s a reality of life.”

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised against all but essential international travel since March 17.