Travel news live: Vaccinated travellers head off for Europe amid new quarantine exemption rules

Nearly eight in 10 UK travellers (78 per cent) claim the traffic light system has made them reconsider booking a holiday abroad this summer, following the government’s recent decision to switch the Balearics from green to amber, according to new research.

According to research from booking.com, 47 per cent of Brits say confusion about the constantly changing status of countries makes it very unlikely that they will holiday abroad this year, with staycations appearing to be front of mind for most travellers. All of the top 10 most searched for destinations for summer are now based in the UK, which is over twice as many as 2020.

The new research, compiled after the government’s latest green list announcement, also found that 56 per cent don’t want to take the risk of travelling abroad while the pandemic is ongoing, particularly given that domestic travel currently appears safer and easier.

Booking.com Regional Manager, Ryan Pearson, said:“We have always said that international travel will rebound slower than domestic travel and whilst our new research shows that many British holidaymakers are feeling uncertain about the traffic light system, we do believe that a classification, such as this one, is needed.

“However, consistency across the board is also required in order to restore confidence amongst those people who are still feeling nervous about travelling overseas. Nevertheless, it is really encouraging to see travel reopening and people across the nation exploring the world once more, albeit closer to home at first.”

British holidaymakers have paid thousands of pounds to race back from the Balearic Islands before they joined the UK’s amber list, triggering mandatory quarantine.

The Spanish islands, which include holiday favourites Mallorca and Ibiza, were previously on the government’s green watchlist, meaning arrivals from there could forgo self-isolation.

But on 14 July, the Department for Transport announced the islands would be downgraded as of 4am on 19 July.

Read the full story here:

Dozens of flights have landed at UK airports from European “amber list” nations after the 4am relaxation of rules for fully vaccinated passengers.

Travellers who have had both jabs from the NHS, and waited a further two weeks, no longer need to self-isolate when arriving from more than 150 medium-risk countries.

The first flight to touch down was Wizz Air’s 7.15am arrival at Luton from Craiova in Romania.

But all passengers aboard the first Air France flight from Paris, which landed at Heathrow at 7.55am, are required to quarantine: France was placed in a special category, “amber plus,” late on Friday night. It effectively means that the previous rules, requiring self-isolation for all arrivals, remain in force for everyone arriving from France.

As restrictions lift in England, a travel money specialist has claimed there remains “little incentive” for Brits to go on holiday, thanks to constantly changing restrictions, entry rules and testing requirements.

Ian Strafford-Taylor, CEO at travel money specialist FairFX, said: “Despite the arrival of Freedom Day after 16 months, excitement in the travel industry is somewhat subdued. The outlook for consumers is still incredibly confusing, as travellers from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland all face varying advice.

“The government’s traffic light system will also provide little reassurance to holidaymakers, particularly after restrictions were brought back in for vaccinated travellers planning to travel to France. Between the constantly changing rules, testing requirements, and varying entry requirements, there’s little incentive for Brits to risk spending their hard-earned cash on a holiday.

“The pound seems to be weathering the storm in spite of the uncertainty, so holidaymakers who are willing to take the risk should keep an eye on exchange rates and lock them in while they’re good to get the most for their money.”

Trainline data reveals there are more bookings for travel this Monday than any other Monday in the last 16 months – since the start of the pandemic.

With restrictions lifting in England, more people are planning to travel throughout this week, with bookings up 26 per cent compared to eight weeks ago.

The most popular stations to travel to this week include (in order):

1. London Euston
2. London Kings Cross
3. Edinburgh
4. Manchester Piccadilly
5. London Paddington
6. York
7. Liverpool Lime Street
8. Leeds
9. Newcastle
10. Birmingham New Street

All legal Covid social distancing and mask-wearing restrictions have been dropped as of 19 July, the so-called Freedom Day, in England, with the government asking instead for Britons to use their own judgement when it comes to evaluating the risk of the disease.

These changes apply to England and relate to activities within its borders.

But what about international travel? Is the traffic light system being dropped alongside obligatory mask-wearing and social distancing? And are any other rules changing from 19 July?

Read our guide for everything you need to know:

American Airlines has replaced British Airways as “most mentioned airline operator on Twitter” between April and June 2021, the analytics firm GlobalData reports.

The company was looking at mentions in “influencer conversations” on the social media site.

US airlines headed the table, with American Airlines and Southwest featuring in first and second places.

British Airways was most mentioned in Europe, followed by easyJet.

But India overtook UK airlines, with Air India and Indigo featuring.

Jet2 has restarted flights and holidays to amber destinations across Europe, aimed at enticing fully vaccinated travellers (and children under 18) back onboard.

More than 60 Jet2 flights left UK airports today, to destinations including the Balearics, the Canaries, mainland Spain, Portugal and Greece.

The airline will also start flights later this week to Croatia, after it was added to the green watchlist earlier this week.

It added that it had seen “high demand” from customers who want to escape to green and amber list destinations this summer.

There are delays on the London transport network this morning thanks to a shortage of staff as drivers are “pinged”, according to a BBC reporter.

The Central and Metropolitan lines are affected.

Passengers on the first flight from Glasgow to the Balearics on Monday expressed few concerns about quarantining when they get back despite the islands moving to the UK’s amber travel list.

Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca were moved to amber last week because of a surge in cases; however, many people had already booked to go while they were part of the green list.

As Scotland moved to Level 0 of its coronavirus restrictions, one of those at Glasgow Airport for the 7.15am Jet2 flight was Jacqui Sutherland.

Under the new guidance, people who are fully vaccinated or under 18 and are arriving from an amber list country do not have to self-isolate – but adults and children over 12 must still take tests before travelling and on their second day after arriving.

Ms Sutherland, heading to Ibiza for a week with her partner, told the PA news agency: “We booked when it was on the green (list) and then we did kind of wonder what to do when it moved to amber.

“But because we’re double-vaccinated we don’t have to quarantine.

“My friend is a travel consultant and said that if anything happens they will send flights out to bring you home before it went on to the red.

“That’s why we booked when it was green because if it went to amber we were still OK… a wee bit of a worry but we’re going to go anyway because at the moment it’s all good.

“Both my girls have only got one vaccine so they’re just not going at all because it’s too much of a risk.”