ITALY SLAMS RYANAIR FOR SHUNNING COVID-19 RULES

The Italian civil aviation authority ENAC has written to Ryanair threatening to suspend it from using Italy's airports for failing to respect rules aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus contagion.

ENAC also informed its Irish counterpart about the "repeated violation of anti-COVID-19 health measures drafted by the Italian government and in force to protect passengers' health," the Italian news agency ANSA reported late on August 5, 2020. 

It said that if the company does not rectify the situation, it will impose "the suspension of all air-transport activity in national airports." Airlines are exempted from running at 50% of capacity to ensure social distancing of one meter only if they respect a series of other rules and ENAC said Ryanair has failed to do this. 

ENAC said the rules include the obligation to wear masks during flights, adding that it is the airlines' responsibility to ensure the rules are respected on board the aircraft.