London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

EasyJet passengers will be required to wear masks

EasyJet passengers will be required to wear masks

EasyJet has said it will resume some flights on 15 June, with all passengers and cabin crew told to wear face masks to protect against the coronavirus.

The airline announced that it would restart a "small number" of routes where there is enough customer demand.

The initial schedule will include domestic routes across the UK and France.

Easyjet will require customers to wear face coverings and they will be expected to provide their own.

From June, EasyJet will fly between UK airports including Gatwick, Bristol, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Belfast.

The airline told the BBC that from mid-June it would be running 189 flights per week on average.

The only international service from the UK will fly from Gatwick to Nice.

Elsewhere, some services will resume between Portugal, Switzerland and Spain.

EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said that "these are small and carefully planned steps".

Mr Lundgren said that further routes would be announced over the coming weeks "as customer demand increases and lockdown measures across Europe are relaxed".

The firm grounded its entire fleet in March as global travel came to a near-halt.

When flights restart, no food will be available on board and customers will have hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes provided.

EasyJet said that its aircraft would also be subject to "enhanced cleaning and disinfection".

Mr Lundgren said: "These measures will remain in place for as long as is needed to ensure customers and crew are able to fly safely as the world continues to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic."


New health standards

The new rules were drawn up according to latest government advice and in consultation with aviation authorities such as the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

On Wednesday, EASA and the US Centre for Disease Prevention and Control issued a new set of health standards for airlines hoping to start flying again.

They recommend wearing face masks, physical distancing of 1.5m where possible in airports and washing hands often.

They stopped short of calling for social distancing on planes due to the confined space, but added that other measures should be followed at all times.


'Flying safely again'

Meanwhile, Heathrow Airport will start using thermal cameras to carry out temperature checks in a trial on some passengers from its Terminal 2 on Thursday.

Its chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, told the BBC's Today programme that this measure was already being used in many countries around the world.

"It will help us to understand whether this could be part of a common international standard to get people flying safely again," he said.

Several other airlines have indicated that they are considering resuming flights in the next few months.

Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has said that the airline plans to ramp up flights in July when British Airways will also resume some flights.

EasyJet's announcement followed the admission earlier this week that a "highly sophisticated cyber-attack" had affected about nine million of its customers.

It said email addresses and travel details had been stolen and that 2,208 customers had also had their credit and debit card details "accessed".

The firm first became aware of the attack in January, and has informed the UK's Information Commissioner's Office while it investigates the breach.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×