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LONDON, June 5 (Reuters) - The owner of British Airways is
considering launching a legal challenge against the UK's looming
quarantine plan, its chief executive said, warning that the new
rules would torpedo its return to flying in July.
Willie Walsh, the chief executive of IAG, told Sky
News on Friday there had been no consultation with the industry
prior to the rule change, and he was reviewing possible action
with lawyers.
"I wrote to MPs (lawmakers) last night to say this
initiative has in effect torpedoed our opportunity to get flying
in July," Walsh said.
"We think it is irrational, we think it is disproportionate
and we are giving consideration to a legal challenge to this
legislation."
Walsh added that he expected other airlines to follow suit.
The quarantine rule states that from 8 June, those arriving
in Britain from abroad need to stay at home for 14 days,
deterring people from booking holidays in a huge setback for the
embattled travel industry.
British Airways, along with rivals such as easyJet and
Ryanair, had been hoping to resume flights in July after a three
month period where most aircraft have been grounded due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
Any legal challenge would be an escalation of the row with
ministers after IAG and the head of British Airways declined to
attend a meeting with the UK interior minister on Thursday.
British Airways also came under attack from lawmakers in
parliament earlier this week over the 12,000 job cuts it is
planning to make. It says it needs to axe staff as the travel
market will be smaller after coronavirus.
Walsh told Sky News that no decisions had been made on the
redundancies yet and urged unions to attend consultation
meetings over the job cuts. IAG also owns Iberia and Aer Lingus.
(Reporting by Sarah Young and Michael Holden; editing by Kate
Holton)
