Ryanair set to take off with £15 f lights (but you still have to isolate for two weeks)
RYANAIR will open holiday routes between Scotland and some of the European countries worst hit by the Covid-19 pandemic as early as next month.
The announcement comes despite UK Government plans to put everyone coming into the country into a 14-day quarantine upon landing.
It has also warned against all but essential journeys before travel restrictions are lifted as lockdown measures are eased.
Flights from as early as June 21 have been advertised on the Ryanair website with a flight from Glasgow to Malaga, Spain.
And journeys between Edinburgh and the Italian city of Milan, which was badly mauled by the Covid-19 pandemic, are on offer for £15.99.
Italy is still reeling after suffering just short of 39,000 deaths as a result of the coronavirus.
The flash sale of 1,000 daily flights are the first to be offered since lockdown began in March and follow the opening of a number of international borders.
Consumer groups have accused Ryanair of launching the flights as a way of avoiding the repayment of millions of pounds of flight cancellation compensation.
Maurice Golden, Scottish Conservative economy spokesman, said: ‘It helps all of us if we get the economy moving again as soon as possible, but it has to be safely, and obviously anyone taking these flights must follow strict quarantine guidelines.
‘After all the sacrifices individuals have made over the past nine weeks, it would be devastating for Covid to regain momentum.
‘Ultimately the Scottish Government’s lockdown easing plan has thrown many sectors into confusion.
‘It is illogical that, while airlines are making plans to open up again, key industries such as construction and manufacturing, which could so easily implement social distancing guidelines, still have no date to restart.’
Under EU laws, passengers can only get a refund if their flight is cancelled. If not, they face losing money or taking a time-limited voucher towards a future flight.
Airlines face a £7billion bill for refunds, and Ryanair alone has a backlog of 25 million claims since March.
As part of Ryanair’s announcement, new rules will be implemented for travellers to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
Passengers will be encouraged to check in fewer bags and check in online by downloading boarding passes to their smartphone.
Temperature checks will be conducted at airport entry and wearing face masks or coverings will be compulsory at all times in the terminal and on board aircraft.
Anyone who does not pass the temperature check will be removed from the terminal and masks will be given to those who do not have them.
Queueing for toilets will also be banned, with passengers having to ask flight attendants for access to the bathrooms.
But those hoping to get away have been warned that flights may be cancelled if circumstances change. Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson said: ‘After four months of lockdown, we welcome these moves by governments in Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Cyprus to open their borders, remove travel restrictions and scrap ineffective quarantines.’
British Airways also hopes to resume flights by July, and easyJet hopes to restart its flight schedule as soon as June 15.
However this will primarily be domestic flights.
Meanwhile, fast food chain McDonald’s is set to reopen all drive-through restaurants north of the Border from next week. It’s part of the chain’s plan to bring back 975 branches across the UK.
McDonald’s bosses previously reopened its drive-throughs in England when lockdown restrictions there were eased earlier this month.