Ryanair and Easyjet joins forces to take launch legal action against 'flawed' quarantine policy

Stansted-based Ryanair and Luton-based EasyJet have joined forces to launch legal action against the government's new 14-day travel quarantine measures.

The budget airlines have been joined by British Airways in calling for a judicial review to take place as soon as possible.

Under the new rules, which came into effect earlier this month, anyone arriving in the UK will have to self-isolate for a fortnight - apart from some limited exceptions.

All three airlines believe the measures will have a "devastating" impact on the British tourism industry and "will destroy thousands of jobs."

A joint statement released on Friday read: "British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair have launched their legal action against the UK government’s flawed quarantine which will have a devastating effect on British tourism and the wider economy and destroy thousands of jobs."

Michael O'Leary. Credit: PA

Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary described the policy earlier this week as "useless" and "unimplementable".

The airlines say they have seen no evidence of when proposed air bridges between the UK and other countries will be implemented, and they want to see the government go back to the policy it introduced back in March where only passengers from countries deemed at high risk of coronavirus infection were told to self-isolate on arrival in the UK.

The statement continued: "This would be the most practical and effective solution, and enables civil servants to focus on other, more significant issues arising from the pandemic while bringing the UK in line with much of Europe which is opening its borders mid-June."