Tough time: Passenger aircraft operated by Ryanair stands on the tarmac at London Stansted Airport. Ryanair kicked off earnings season for European carriers yesterday by posting a loss for the June quarter. — Bloomberg
LONDON: U.K. travel, leisure and retail shares slid on Monday after several countries closed their borders with Britain due to the spread of a mutated version of the coronavirus, and the government announced new social restrictions. Stay-at-home stocks, meanwhile, got a boost.
Airlines that were expecting a lift around the festive period were among the worst hit, with British Airways-parent International Consolidated Airlines Group S.A. falling 14% and Easyjet Plc down 17%.
Ryanair Holdings Plc, which has already said free flight changes or refunds will be offered to customers where European Union governments have banned travel, slid 7.6%.
Domestic rail and bus operators also fell as millions of Britons cancel Christmas travel plans: FirstGroup Plc dropped 9.2% and Go-Ahead Group Plc lost 12%.
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