The chief executives of several airlines operating in the UK
have written to prime minister Boris Johnson to urge him to lift “disproportionate”
travel restrictions introduced in response to the discovery of the Omicron
Covid-19 variant, saying the measures ‘severely damage the travel industry’.
The letter, published for the public to view by trade body
Airlines UK and signed by the heads of Tui UK and Ireland, Ryanair, easyJet,
Loganair, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Jet2, also requests an urgent
meeting with the prime minister to discuss the problems faced by the industry
due to the return of travel restrictions, including pre-departure and
on-arrival testing.
“Ten days ago, you rightly said that vaccines and boosters
remain our best line of defence against variants of Covid-19 and highlighted
the need for proportionate travel measures. It is increasingly likely that
Omicron will soon be the dominant variant in the UK, and the health secretary has
already said…