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(Adds Heathrow comments, background)
LONDON, May 11 (Reuters) - Britain's easyJet urged
the government to only keep quarantine requirements for a short
period, while Heathrow Airport called for a plan to re-open
borders, as new travel rules sent shockwaves through an industry
already on its knees.
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 a second peak of the coronavirus
pandemic.
The new rules, which airlines have been told will be a
14-day quarantine period for most people arriving from abroad,
are likely to deter people from travelling.
That has created a new threat to airlines and airports,
which are desperate for travel demand to recover. The novel
coronavirus has grounded fleets since March, putting aviation
company finances under huge strain.
Heathrow, which during normal times is Europe's busiest
airport, said that common international standards were needed so
that passengers could travel freely between low risk counties,
and borders re-opened.
EasyJet said any quarantine restrictions should be
short-lived and 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.
Passenger numbers at Heathrow plunged 97% in April, and the
airport warned that the new quarantine rules would "effectively
close borders temporarily", with very few people travelling.
Airline bosses were disappointed at the lack of clarity from
the government over the new rules, said a person familiar with
the situation. They do not know when the rules will be brought
in, how long they will last and whether they will be reviewed
regularly.
The new quarantine rules won't be applied to travellers
coming from France at this stage, France and Britain said on
Sunday, while airlines had said on Sunday that the new rules
wouldn't be applied to arrivals from Ireland.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Kate Holton and James
Davey)
