Following easyJet’s announcement that it hopes to resume 75% of routes in August, having grounded all flights since mid-April, industry experts said that UK 14-day quarantine period for any international returning travelers will make travelers reluctant to book flights in the near future, potentially risking easyJet’s efforts to significantly increase capacity.

Whilst some European destinations are opening to tourists this summer, confusion among who is allowed to travel and from which country could be enough to discourage a summer holiday until winter this year or even summer 2021. Recession-hit consumers may also turn their attention to cheaper domestic trips.

Industry experts predict a 35% drop in all international trips made within Europe in 2020 compared to 2019, showing that introducing a significantly improved schedule by August could be too soon.

Operating easyJet flights will cost more than it did prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, as thorough cleaning of aircraft, social distancing measures, and the provision of mandatory face masks will all incur a cost that may not be adequately compensated for by the revenue made from summer seat sales. However, the resumption of flights is a starting point for easyJet, where this along with seat sales could help to instigate demand and increase confidence for travel in summer 2020.

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