MPs label British Airways a ‘national disgrace’ over job cuts June 13, 2020 MPs have condemned British Airways, calling the embattled carrier a “national disgrace” over its plans to make 12,000 of its staff redundant. In a report from the transport select committee, MPs described the airline’s actions as a “calculated attempt to take advantage of the pandemic to cut 12,000 jobs and to downgrade the terms and [...]
FTSE 100 inches into green despite record plunge in UK GDP June 12, 2020 The FTSE 100 closed 0.23 per cent up on Friday, having spent most of the session inching higher despite data showing the British economy suffered the largest contraction on record in April. While the blue-chip managed to shake a four-session decline, it remained on track for its worst weekly drop in around three months. Cyclical [...]
British Airways, Ryanair and Easyjet launch quarantine legal action June 12, 2020 The UK’s three largest airlines have today launched legal action against the government’s plan to make all incoming travellers to the UK quarantine for 14 days. Rivals British Airways, Ryanair and Easyjet have come together to see a legal review of the plan as soon as possible. In a joint statement, they said the measures [...]
Ryanair set for net loss as quarantine legal action launches June 12, 2020 Ryanair is on course to book a loss to €200-€300m (£179m-£269m) in this financial year, chief Michael O’Leary has told a Spanish newspaper. Speaking to Expansion, O’Leary added that he expected the budget carrier to return to profitability next year. He said: “Everything will depend on how people will fly between September and March and [...]
Face masks and all bags in the hold: Government sets out air travel advice June 11, 2020 The Department for Transport has today laid out plans for safe aviation travel, setting out measures airlines and airports should implement to protect passengers. In line with other forms of public transport, passengers are told to wear face masks on planes and in airports, and are also encouraged to check all bags including hand luggage [...]
Tui pushes back holiday restart plans to 10 July due to quarantine June 11, 2020 Holiday firm Tui announced today that it would cancel all beach holidays for British tourists up to 10 July due to uncertainty over the government’s quarantine rules. The tour operator had previously planned to restart its holidays at the beginning of July, but said that the requirement for all travellers to England to quarantine for [...]
Corporate travel firms call for business air bridges to avoid quarantine June 10, 2020 The UK’s business travel sector has called on the government to create industry-specific air bridges to European business hubs in order to sidestep the current 14-day quarantine plan. In a letter to home secretary Priti Patel and transport secretary Grant Shapps, Clive Wratten, chief executive of the Business Travel Association, proposed three pilot travel corridors [...]
Airlines face £84bn loss in ‘worst year in aviation history’ June 9, 2020 Global aviation body the International Air Transport Association (IATA) today said that the coronavirus crisis will see the world’s airlines make record losses of over £$100bn over 2020 and 2021. At a press conference this afternoon, director general Alexandre de Juniac said: “The losses this year will be the biggest in aviation history—over $84bn in [...]
UK tourism group says air bridges will be set up by 29 June June 9, 2020 A tourism lobby group has said that air bridges to other countries will be operating by 29 June, saying it had received assurances on the matter by senior government officials. In a statement, Quash Quarantine, a 500-strong group of travel and hospitality firms, said that it was considering options including joining British Airways’ legal challenge [...]
French government presents €15bn aid package to save aviation sector June 9, 2020 The French government has this morning unveiled a €15bn (£13.3bn) plan to save its aerospace industry, saying that 100,000 jobs are at risk due to the coronavirus crisis. The rescue package, which includes pre-announced measures such as a €7bn loan to flag carrier Air France, comes amid the worst aviation downturn in history. New measures [...]