LONDON, May 11 (Reuters) - Britain's easyJet urged
the government to keep any quarantine requirements on travellers
arriving in the UK for only a short period, as airlines face a
new threat to their survival.
Airlines across the world have grounded their fleets as the
novel coronavirus brought travel to a halt, putting their
finances under huge strain. New quarantine rules could slow down
and complicate any recovery in demand for travel.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday that a
quarantine would soon be needed for people coming into this
country by air to prevent infections arriving from abroad.
In response, easyJet said any quarantine restrictions should
not last beyond lockdown and should be regularly reviewed.
"Quarantine requirements for passengers should only be in
place for a short period, while the UK remains in lockdown," a
spokeswoman for easyJet said in an emailed statement.
"Requirements should be regularly reviewed to ensure they
are targeted and proportionate and do not unnecessarily
constrain the important role that air travel will have in the
UK's economic recovery."
(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Kate Holton)