Mayor candidate Shaun Bailey: TfL bailout was ‘inevitable’ May 11, 2020 London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey has claimed that Transport for London’s (TfL) bailout bid was “inevitable” and would have happened even without the coronavirus crisis. The Tory candidate told City A.M.’s daily podcast The City View that TfL was “bankrupt, virtually” and that its bid for a £2bn bailout from central government was because of [...]
Sir Richard Branson to sell $500m of Virgin Galactic stake to prop up other firms May 11, 2020 Sir Richard Branson is set to sell up to $500m shares in space tourism firm Virgin Galactic in order to prop up his other businesses, company filings published today showed. According to a submission to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Branson will sell up to 25m shares in the company. At Friday’s close of [...]
TfL: Londoners should wear face masks on Tube May 11, 2020 Transport for London (TfL) has warned commuters that they will have to “significantly change” the way they travel as the country begins to ease coronavirus lockdown measures. After Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night said that those who could not work from home should return to work, the operator laid out its initial plan to [...]
British Airways to review July restart plans after quarantine plans revealed May 11, 2020 IAG’s chief executive Willie Walsh has said that British Airways is reviewing plans to resume 50 per cent of its flights in July due to the government’s new quarantine measures. Speaking to the Transport Select Committee this morning, Walsh said: “I don’t think anybody believed that the UK government was actually implemented if they were [...]
French passengers not included in UK quarantine plans May 11, 2020 The UK’s new quarantine measures for incoming passengers will not apply to people coming from France, Downing Street has confirmed. Last night Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that “it would soon be time” to introduce a quarantine period for all those entering the UK by air. However, after a phone call with French president Emmanuel [...]
Heathrow calls for border reopening plan as passenger numbers fall 97 per cent May 11, 2020 The chief executive of the UK’s largest airport Heathrow has called on the government to lay out a roadmap for how it will reopen its borders after coronavirus. Speaking as the airport announced that passenger volumes in April had fallen 97 per cent, John Holland-Kaye said: “Aviation is the lifeblood of this country’s economy, and [...]
Easyjet calls on government to use quarantine rules for only a short period May 11, 2020 Low-cost carrier Easyjet today said that the government should only keep quarantine requirements for people entering the UK in place for a “short period”. Last night Prime Minister Boris Johnson had announced that mandatory quarantine for air passengers coming into the UK would soon be put in place. He said: “And to prevent re-infection from [...]
TfL seeking a £2bn bailout from central government May 10, 2020 Transport for London (TfL) is seeking a £2bn bailout from the government after its finances have been plunged into dire territory by the coronavirus crisis. TfL bosses, including London mayor Sadiq Khan, are in talks with Whitehall to secure the emergency funding after the crisis has left the body with just £1bn in the bank, [...]
Virgin Atlantic launches desperate plea for government support as buyout firms circle May 10, 2020 The chief executive of Virgin Atlantic has issued a last-ditch plea for a government bailout as a string of buyout firms circle the troubled carrier. Sir Richard Branson’s airline has failed to impress the Treasury with its request for a £500m taxpayer-funded rescue package, with chancellor Rishi Sunak stating support would be given only as [...]
Car use on the rise as drivers await easing of lockdown measures May 8, 2020 The UK’s drivers have begun to use their cars more than earlier in the coronavirus lockdown period, an study by the RAC has found, ahead of Sunday’s announcement of how the measures will be eased going forward. Comparing data from last week to that in the second week of lockdown, the RAC found that the [...]