Dublin based low-cost airline Ryanair and Manchester Airport Group (MAG) have launched a legal challenge against the UK government's traffic light travel system.
They are seeking more transparency in how the government categorises countries as green, amber or red destinations. Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said the system has been a "shambles from the beginning" and has called on the government to explain the scientific basis behind it and "to establish a data-driven transparent model that could restore confidence in air travel ahead of the very crucial peak summer months".
MAG, which owns Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports, said: "For most countries, the traffic light system seems to be stuck on amber for no obvious reason, despite having prevalence [Covid] rates much lower than the UK."
The UK introduced the traffic light system on 7 May, publishing a list of 12 countries and territories on the green list of safe places to visit and promising to review it every three weeks. UK bookings for air travel exceeded 2019 levels by 40pc by the end of that week, according to Iata data.
Under the traffic light system, anyone travelling to a green destination does not have to self-isolate on their return. But people arriving from amber countries must self-isolate for 10 days, either at home or at the place they are staying. And only British or Irish nationals, or UK residents, are allowed into the UK from red countries and they must pay to quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days.
The legal challenge by Ryanair and MAG follows the government's decision to remove Portugal, a popular destination for UK holidaymakers, from the green list earlier this month.
