Three airlines launch legal action against British quarantine policy

Three major airlines have launched a legal action against the UK government, describing the country's plan to quarantine most incoming travellers as "flawed.''

Quarantine measures imposed this week stipulate that all passengers -- barring a handful of exceptions like truckers or medical workers -- must fill in a form detailing where they will self-isolate for two weeks.

Aviation has suffered huge losses following the near-halt in air travel as a result of pandemic restrictions.

British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair have, to this end, said in a statement that the quarantine would have a "devastating effect,'' on tourism and the wider economy. The airlines want the government to re-adopt its previous policy, where quarantine is limited to passengers from "high risk" countries.

The quarantine was imposed after a debate on whether it would help British efforts to tamp down the coronavirus outbreak in Britain or simply stamp out any hopes that the British tourism industry will recover following months of lockdown.

Though industry advocates have suggested that Britain should create "air bridges'' with countries that have low transmission rates, the government has hesitated. The airlines argue there has been no detail on how such proposals would be implemented.

British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair further argued that the UK quarantine rules are more stringent than guidelines applied to people who actually have COVID-19, who do not have to report to authorities on their location.

"The airlines want the government to re-adopt its previous quarantine policy introduced on March 10, where quarantine is limited to passengers from 'high risk' countries,'' they said in a statement.

"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.''

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative government has been widely criticised for its slow response to fighting the outbreak. Many in his government, including Johnson himself, came down with coronavirus.

Britain did not close its borders or impose testing and tracing measures for most travellers during the worst of the coronavirus outbreak.

(with inputs from agencies)