Britain's airlines say extra support needed if travel stays shut

Airlines based in Britain have told the government they will need industry-specific support to help them survive if COVID-19 rules continue to keep travel markets shut. Companies including BA, easyJet and Ryanair are in a deepening crisis after Britain's plans to restart travel on May 17 following a 4-1/2 month ban on foreign holidays fell far short of their hopes. Britons are still discouraged from travelling to most countries, and since the May reopening, the government has tightened the rules, removing one of the few destinations that was open, Portugal, from a safe travel list. As July and August approach, the months when airlines make most of their profits, there are worries the summer season may be lost for a second year in a row, risking airline viability and jobs. "If a meaningful reopening is not possible during the summer ... then targeted economic support will be essential to ensure UK airlines are able to reach the point when a restart is possible, in order to protect many tens of thousands of jobs," industry lobby Airlines UK said in a letter to finance minister Rishi Sunak on Thursday. Come the end of September, government support schemes to protect jobs are also due to end, a worry for airlines that might still be grounded due to foreign travel restrictions. <br/>