Travel bosses have hailed the loosening of COVID rules for US and EU travellers as a move that would “get global Britain back in business”.
Shares in British Airways owner International Airlines Group rose by nearly 4% while there were also rises for easyJet, Ryanair, Tui and engine maker Rolls-Royce.
Cruise operators Carnival and Saga received a boost too as the government also said international cruises would be able to go ahead.
The announcement on quarantine by the Department for Transport means that from 4am next Monday travellers fully-vaccinated with US and EU approved jabs will be able to travel to England from “amber” list countries without having to quarantine.
They will still have to take a pre-departure COVID test and another one within two days of arrival.
The loosening of rules does not apply to France, with arrivals from there still having to isolate.
Travellers fully vaccinated in the UK have already been able to return from amber countries without quarantining since earlier this month.
The significance of the latest announcement is that it extends that right to those who have received jabs approved by European and US regulators – effectively reopening Britain to visitors from those parts of the world.
Joss Croft, chief executive of UKinbound, representing Britain’s tourist industry, said: “Today’s announcement that quarantine will be removed for vaccinated US and EU visitors to England is a fantastic step forward that will allow the £28bn inbound tourism sector, which supports over 500,000 jobs across the UK, to finally restart.”
The decision was also cheered by the UK’s big aviation players, who have cut thousands of jobs after the pandemic grounded global flights – and…