Half-term holiday bookings are expected to surge after ministers unveiled a simplification of Covid foreign travel rules, replacing the traffic-light system with a single red list and bringing in a laxer regime for tests.
But while MPs and some travel groups welcomed the new system, airlines voiced anger that fully vaccinated travellers returning to England will still have to take a test after they return, even if this will be changed to a cheaper lateral flow version.
Willie Walsh, the former British Airways boss who now heads the International Air Transport Association trade group, said that, while Friday’s changes were a move in the right direction, it was time to scrap the entire “wasteful and ludicrously expensive” system of tests for fully vaccinated travellers.
The new system for arrivals in England set out by the Department for Transport was also less ambitious than expected in some areas. A great shortening of the red list had been forecast, but just eight countries were removed.
Under the new regime, the current designation of red, amber and green countries will be replaced by a smaller red list, with double-jabbed travellers coming from all other countries not required to quarantine.
The countries to be taken off the red list from 4am on Wednesday are Bangladesh, Egypt, Kenya, the Maldives, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Turkey.
But predictions that up to half the 60-plus countries on the red list would be removed proved mistaken, angering tourism groups. The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association, which represents about 1,350 South African businesses, called the decision “a kick in the teeth”.
If a country is on the red list, travellers there from England must quarantine inside an approved hotel for 10 days once they return at a cost of £2,285 per adult.
The new rules will simplify testing rules for travel. From 4 October, fully vaccinated travellers will no longer need to take a test before departing for England.
From the end of October,…
