3 airlines challenge UK quarantine in court

The airlines want the government to readopt its previous policy, where quarantine was limited to passengers from high risk countries Quarantine measures imposed this week stipulate that all passengers — bar a handful of exceptions like truckers or medical workers — must fill in a form detailing where they will self-isolate for two weeks.

Three airlines have launched legal action against the British government, describing the country's plan to quarantine most incoming travelers as “flawed.'' British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair say in a statement Friday that the quarantine will have a “devastating effect'' on tourism and the wider economy. The airlines want the government to readopt its previous policy, where quarantine was limited to passengers from high risk countries

Quarantine measures imposed this week stipulate that all passengers — bar a handful of exceptions like truckers or medical workers — must fill in a form detailing where they will self-isolate for two weeks. The requirement applies regardless whether they are U.K. citizens or not, and those who fail to comply could be fined

The quarantine was imposed after a heated debate on whether it would help British efforts to tamp down the outbreak or simply stamp out any hopes that the tourism industry will recover following months of lockdown.