Ryanair and MAG challenge British travel rules

LONDON - Ryanair and airport operator MAG are suing the UK Government over "unacceptable" travel restrictions. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's traffic light system continues to choke off air travel recovery, Ryanair said. To prevent further spreading of a new Covid-19 string, Downing Street so far rejects any adjustments to its policy.

Green: return with a test. Yellow: return with tests and self-quarantine. Red: return with tests and hotel-quarantine. The British travel light system continues to spark controversy and uncertainty among travellers, tour operators and airlines.

Out of concern about the Delta variant of the Corona virus, the Johnson administration has so far categorically rejected any adjustments.

"The current opaque way that decisions are being made is undermining consumer confidence in the traffic-light system and makes it impossible for airports, airlines and other travel companies to plan for the recovery of international travel or work with the government on future reviews," the "Financial Times" quotes Ryanair and MAG.

The low-cost airline and the airport operator will proceed to challenge the rules in court, the paper said.

"Unfairly scapegoated"

"We were told the traffic light system would allow people to travel safely, with the right measures in place to manage risk for different countries," Manchester Airport Group CEO Charlie Cornish said. "But it is now clear the Government doesn't trust its own system and that international travel is being unfairly scapegoated."

Even low-risk destinations continue to be left off the green list "despite clear evidence they are safe to visit," Cornish said. "With case rates lower than the UK, we simply cannot understand why the likes of the Balearics, the Canaries and some Greek islands do not fall into that category."

Severeal other European countries including Spain, Greece and Germany have reopend summer holiday traffic as infection rates decreased.

"Instead, we are stuck with a system that is clearly not fit for purpose and will deny people the opportunity to travel abroad safely this year," Cornish said. "The lack of transparency is shocking and totally unacceptable. We have repeatedly asked for data, but we are being left in the dark about how it is making these choices."