Ryanair has called on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to scrap Ireland’s defective hotel quarantine for certain EU countries, and to deliver a roadmap for the re-opening of EU air travel in time for summer holidays. The airline labelled mandatory hotel quarantine for EU arrivals an “absurd measure” as Ireland has a 500km open land border with the UK. It also pointed out that travellers coming into Ireland can “easily avoid” mandatory quarantine by flying through Belfast or via an EU country not on the hotel quarantine list. As a result, Ryanair said, the mandatory hotel quarantine is “completely pointless”
In a statement issued this morning, April 23, Ryanair accused the government of mismanaging travel during the crisis and of implementing a “defective” hotel quarantine. It took issue with the government’s “failed” travel policies, saying they’re “damaging Ireland’s international reputation and severely impacting connectivity to and from the country.”
“The successful rollout of vaccines to Ireland’s most vulnerable persons (elderly and hospital staff) led to a dramatic drop in hospitalisations and serious illness, with less than 50 cases currently in ICU,” the statement continued.
“With these numbers in mind, the Irish Govt must now deliver clear timelines for the re-opening of EU air travel before the end of May to ensure that all citizens who have been vaccinated are allowed to travel freely and without restrictions.”
“We can’t continue being the failed outliers of Europe. Our Govt must act now and apply common sense before it is too late to save connectivity to/from the island of Ireland.”
“We call on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to scrap this defective/useless hotel quarantine which only applies to certain EU countries, ensure vaccinated people can move freely to/from the EU, and set out a clear plan to re-open the nation for air travel to/from Ireland from the end of May onwards.”
Main photo: Passengers boarding a Ryanair flight in Berlin before the pandemic. By Portuguese Gravity on Unsplash
