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LONDON, May 26 (Reuters) - The boss of easyJet said
he does not expect the Indian coronavirus variant to be the
biggest problem for Europe's coming travel season, although he
said another lost summer would be perilous for Britain's
aviation industry.
Britain has so far stuck with strict travel restrictions for
most destinations abroad damaging the airline and travel
industries, which face a new threat from worries about the
spread in the United Kingdom of the novel coronavirus variant
first found in India.
Germany has banned most travellers from the country because
of the variant and France has hinted it could follow suit.
EasyJet Chief Executive Johan Lundgren said the industry's
survival could be at risk if it had to endure a second summer of
restricted travel.
"I don't think that UK aviation as an industry can go
through another lost summer without grave consequences," he told
an online industry event on Wednesday.
But for him, the Indian variant is not the concern. He said
that evidence so far showed that vaccines are effective against
it.
"I don't think that the outlook...is that because of the
Indian variant the summer is ruined," he said.
Lundgren's bigger worry is that Britain sticks to its strict
travel rules which mean Portugal is the only major holiday
destination open to Britons.
British tourists had hoped to return to southern European
beaches this summer, but rules for all other destinations mean
they must take multiple COVID-19 tests and quarantine on their
return, despite countries like Spain opening to them.
"The government needs to be ready and prepared to step up to
protect this industry and it has to do so because it is its
restrictions that have made it impossible to operate for the
players in this industry," Lundgren said.
It was unlikely that the coming summer would be another lost
season, said Lungren, but he urged Britain to put more countries
on its green travel list at the next review on June 7.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; Editing by Kate Holton and Barbara
Lewis)
