Coronavirus: BA, easyJet and Ryanair launch legal action over govt's quarantine policy

British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair have launched legal action against the government's controversial quarantine measures.

A statement from BA's parent company, IAG, said the airlines would be asking for a judicial review to be heard as soon as possible.

The companies had said earlier this week they would join together to try to end the 14-day quarantine rule for international arrivals, which they say will deter travel and threaten more jobs.

Describing the rule as "flawed", they said it would have a "devastating effect on British tourism and the wider economy".

The airlines said they had seen no evidence of when proposed air bridges between the UK and other countries would be implemented.

They want the government to instead readopt the policy it introduced on 10 March, which saw passengers from countries deemed at high risk of coronavirus infection being ordered to self-isolate on arrival in the UK.

A joint statement from the three airlines said: "This would be the most practical and effective solution, and enables civil servants to focus on other, more significant issues arising from the pandemic while bringing the UK in line with much of Europe which is opening its borders mid-June."

It comes after IAG chief executive Willie Walsh told Sky News the new rules would "torpedo" the chances of the aviation sector getting back to normal.

"We think it is irrational, we think it is disproportionate," he said.

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Michael O'Leary, chief executive of BA's rival Ryanair, has said the quarantine rules were "nonsense" and would be "useless".

The Irish airline had previously said in a statement: "Ryanair will support any legal action launched by IAG against this ineffective quarantine."

Mr Walsh had said the industry was facing its "most difficult challenge", adding that British Airways flew only 485 passenger flights last month.

"We did that by lunchtime on 1 May last year," he said.