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LONDON, June 12 (Reuters) - British Airways, easyJet
and Ryanair have launched legal action against the UK
government's quarantine policy, asking for a judicial review to
be heard as soon as possible.
The airlines said earlier this week they would try to end
the 14-day quarantine rule for international arrivals, which
they say will deter travel and threaten more jobs just as the
battered aviation industry was hoping for a recovery.
Lawyers have said the government would have to show the
scientific evidence that underpinned the need for a quarantine
if judges allow a judicial review to go ahead.
Britain's chief scientist said earlier in June that
politicians decided the policy, adding quarantines worked best
for restricting travel from countries with high infection rates.
The quarantine came into force on Monday.
In their statement, provided by BA's parent company IAG
, the airlines said there was no scientific evidence for
such a severe policy.
They also dismissed the alternative of "air bridges", the
name given to bilateral deals between countries with low
infection rates, which the government has presented as a
potential alternative to the quarantine.
"The airlines have not yet seen any evidence on how and when
proposed 'air bridges' between the UK and other countries will
be implemented," they said.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; editing by Kate Holton)
