Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary has questioned UK and Irish government plans for a 14-day quarantine on arrivals, calling them “unexplainable, ineffective, and unimplementable”.
In a statement O’Leary said that “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 or medicine”.
“We strongly urge Europe’s Governments, especially those in Ireland and the UK, to mandate to the wearing of face masks for airline, train and (London) underground passengers, as this is the best and most effective way to limit the spread of Covid-19 in public transport environments where social distancing is not possible,” he continued.
“We welcome the European Union’s recommendation on face masks, and 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, are unimplementable and unnecessary in circumstances where airline, train and underground passengers wear face masks where social distancing isn’t possible.”
Ryanair recently announced plans to return to 40 per cent of its schedule in July, a move which would see the carrier operating approximately 1,000 flights per day and 90 per cent of its network.
The carrier said that among the measures which it would introduce to enable a resumption of services included requiring passengers to check in online and downloading boarding passes to smart phones, as well as undergoing temperature checks at airport entry and wearing face masks/coverings at all times in the terminal and on board aircraft.
Earlier this month the UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that a 14-day quarantine period for arrivals would be introduced soon,. In an interview with LBC this week Secretary of State for the Home Department Priti Patel said that the proposed measures were still being developing.