EasyJet plans to resume flights on almost 75 per cent of routes by August

2 June 2020, 11:01

Easyjet is increasing the number of flights it is running. Picture: PA

By Asher McShane

Budget airline easyJet has announced it plans to ramp up the number of services it is running in the coming weeks.

The airline intends to operate flights on half its 1,022 routes in July, and 75% in August.

Flights will be at a lower frequency than usual, meaning the airline will operate at around 30% of its normal capacity between July and September.

The low-cost carrier will serve all its UK bases in the key family summer holiday months of July and August.

EasyJet previously announced it will resume operations on June 15, but flights will mainly be restricted to domestic routes in the UK and France.

The airline's announcement comes as MPs raised objections for plans for a two-week quarantine for arrivals to the UK.

Housing minister Simon Clarke has said the two-week quarantine period for new entrants will be enforced from June 8, despite some backbench opposition.

The MP said today: "This is a temporary, time-limited measure to make sure that we avoid that risk manifesting itself.

"It is very clear that as of Monday June 8 a two-week quarantine is in place for people coming into the UK from abroad and that needs to be understood very clearly.

"It will obviously depend on progress and we all want these restrictions to be lifted as soon as it's safe to do so."

Former transport minister Stephen Hammond has continued to call for the plan to quarantine all people arriving from outside the UK to be scrapped.

The Tory MP said that air bridges would be a "sensible, targeted response" between low-risk countries.

"I think the idea of air bridges are the right way forward," he added.

"I think, as we've seen across the world, people are taking measures out of the lockdown and this targeted approach would be a much more sensible way to behave."