easyJet scraps new flights from Scotland to Manchester due to travel ban

Britain’s biggest budget airline has constantly been thwarted in its hopes to fly British travellers abroad this summer.

In desperation, six days ago easyJet announced a dozen new UK domestic routes, on the basis that travel was unrestricted within and between the four nations.

But now key links from Manchester to Edinburgh and Aberdeen have been scrapped because of Scotland’s ban on non-essential travel to and from the English city.

The Scottish transport secretary, Michael Matheson, said: “Nobody wants travel restrictions in place for any longer than is absolutely necessary.

“Placing restrictions on travel between Scotland and Manchester and Salford has only been taken after extremely careful consideration and analysis of data to help prevent the spread of variants of concern.”

The government in Edinburgh says the travel ban is part of wider measures put in place to prevent variants of concern being brought into Scotland from areas with high cases of Covid-19 Delta variant.

An easyJet spokesperson said: “Following the Scottish government’s announcement that non-essential travel between Scotland and Manchester is currently not permitted, unfortunately we are no longer able to operate our planned new routes connecting Edinburgh and Aberdeen with Manchester.

“Customers due to travel on these flights will be notified of the cancellation and informed of their options, which includes transferring their trip to an alternative destination on easyJet’s network or to a later date free of charge, and receiving either a voucher or refund for the entire value of their whole booking. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience.”

Other new routes will be going ahead, including a link between Inverness and Newquay, as well as a “seaside special” from Liverpool to Bournemouth.