Ryanair chief executive hits out at quarantine plans
tourism
04 Jun 2020
/ 12:37
DUBLIN. Michael O΄Leary hits out at the British Government΄s plan to quarantine arrivals from abroad.
The head of Ryanair Michael O'Leary said that Britain doesn't have a clear plan for implementing the 14-day quarantine on arrivals from abroad and called it a "shambolic and useless" measure which will cause immeasurable damage to the British tourist industry.
From 8 June it will be mandatory for all those arriving in Britain to go into quarantine in an effort to prevent a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
"“The problem with this quarantine is, it's not a quarantine. You know a quarantine is only effective if you kind of trap people or gather people at the point of entry," O'Leary told ITV, adding that the form that travellers have to fill in hasn't even been published yet.
“Here, they're asking people to fill in a nonexistent form on arrival at Heathrow or Gatwick, then get on to London Underground or the trains, buses, public transport, stop off in Tesco, maybe go to Halfords before you reach your quarantine address.”
He said passengers arriving in the UK could easily mislead authorities by claiming they are self-isolating when in reality they are out in society.
"This will cause immeasurable damage to British tourism, to thousands of hotels, restaurants and guest houses throughout the country that depend on European visitors, who will be discouraged from coming to Britain by the shambolic and useless quarantine," the Ryanair chief said.
From 8 June it will be mandatory for all those arriving in Britain to go into quarantine in an effort to prevent a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s been one shambles after another”
— Peston (@itvpeston) June 3, 2020
Michael O’Leary, CEO of @ryanair tells @peston what he thinks of @BorisJohnson’s management of the crisis, and calls the latest quarantine ‘useless’.
Full interview 9PM on Twittter & 1045PM on @ITV #peston pic.twitter.com/zCblcg8fmx
"“The problem with this quarantine is, it's not a quarantine. You know a quarantine is only effective if you kind of trap people or gather people at the point of entry," O'Leary told ITV, adding that the form that travellers have to fill in hasn't even been published yet.
“Here, they're asking people to fill in a nonexistent form on arrival at Heathrow or Gatwick, then get on to London Underground or the trains, buses, public transport, stop off in Tesco, maybe go to Halfords before you reach your quarantine address.”
He said passengers arriving in the UK could easily mislead authorities by claiming they are self-isolating when in reality they are out in society.
"This will cause immeasurable damage to British tourism, to thousands of hotels, restaurants and guest houses throughout the country that depend on European visitors, who will be discouraged from coming to Britain by the shambolic and useless quarantine," the Ryanair chief said.
