Budget airline Wizz Air becomes first to restore flights from London to European destinations including Portugal and Spain with first planes to take off next week

• Flights will be leaving London Luton for Tenerife, Lisbon and Tel Aviv in Israel
• Cabin crew will be required to wear masks and gloves throughout flights
• Planes will also be disinfected overnight before taking off on their next journey 

Budget airline Wizz Air has become the first to restore flights from London to Europe, with planes scheduled to take off as early as next week.

Flights will be leaving London Luton for Tenerife, Lisbon, Budapest and other major cities from May 1. Seats are priced from £16.99.

The continent-wide coronavirus lockdown has seen European air traffic plummet by at least 90 per cent, according to IATA, as countries battle outbreaks.

The chief executive of Gatwick, Britain's second busiest airport, today called on ministers to introduce regulations requiring passengers to be tested for Covid-19 at least 48 hours before travel. 

Wizz Air will restart flights from London Luton on May 1 to cities in Europe and Israel

Cabin crew will be required to wear face masks and gloves on planes and passengers will be asked to use hand sanitiser. Planes will be disinfected overnight

Wizz Air has announced a raft of protective measures for passengers and staff.

Cabin crew will be required to wear masks and gloves throughout trips and sanitising wipes will be distributed to passengers, the airline said. 

Aircraft will also be disinfected overnight if they have been used for flights. 

The airline has not said there will be a requirement for passengers to wear face masks on flights, although many already do.

It is expected flights will be taking off a third empty to allow passengers to social distance on board, after chief executive Jozsef Varadi announced they were planning to make the changes earlier this month.

Other low-cost airlines are yet to announce plans to get their fleets moving. 

Major rival Ryanair has kept 99 pet cent of its fleet on the ground while flying a few scheduled flights until April 30. EasyJet is taking bookings for flights from May 18. 

The boss of Britain's second busiest airport also called for travellers to be required to carry 'health passports' when travelling on international flights. Pictured: Gatwick airport

The lockdown has swept income from airlines causing Virgin Atlantic to call for a state bailout in order to stay afloat as others teeter near the edge.

The chief executive of Gatwick, Stewart Wingate, has demanded ministers establish a framework to allow planes to get back into the air.

He said passengers should be required to have compulsory tests for the virus 48 hours before travel and carry 'health passports' certifying their health.

He added they should wear face masks on flights, although noted that many already are taking this precaution.

The Department for Transport has set up a working group with the aviation industry to begin discussions for how to get the industry moving again as Britain emerges from lockdown.

The European Union's commission president Ursula von der Leyen has indicated the bloc will find 'smart solutions' to allow air travel to re-commence.

She told Portuguese publication Expresso Sunday vacations may be a 'little different, with other hygiene measures, with a little more social distance,' but that solutions will be found.

But she warned in an interview with German newspaper Bild earlier this month it is hard to make reliable forecasts for holidays in July and August.

Stewart Wingate, chief executive of Gatwick, (left) has called for the government to enact measures to get flights in the air again. The Department of Transport, led by Grant Shapps (right) has set up a working group to discuss options

Passenger numbers have plummeted since the Foreign Office advised against all except essential travel.

It is estimated that 140million fewer passengers will take to the air this year, hitting the sector with an estimated £21.1billion in lost revenue.

From May 1 Wizz Air will start flying to Budapest, eight destinations in Romania, Lisbon, Tenerife, Belgrade, Bratislava, and Tel Aviv in Israel subject to no further restrictions.

Managing Director of Wizz Air, Owain Jones, said: 'As we restart selected Luton flights to provide an essential service to passengers who need to travel, our primary concern is the health, safety and well-being of our customers and crew. 

'The protective measures that we are implementing will ensure the most sanitary conditions possible. 

'We encourage our customers to watch our new video on how to stay safe when travelling, as well as for more details on our new health and safety measures.'