Tenerife
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Boris Johnson revealed at a press conference yesterday (Monday), that following a surge in new infections across the UK caused by the more transmissible Delta coronavirus variant, which already accounts for 90% of all active infections, the ‘freedom day’ date of June 21st for lifting restrictions will be delayed by four weeks in England until July 19th.
Although the delay doesn’t have a direct impact on the “traffic light” system put in place for international travel, indirectly it looks set to push back the date from which most of Europe will join the quarantine-free “green list” of safe holiday destinations, as the previous review saw no new countries go green, despite several candidates meeting the government’s previous criteria, while Portugal, the only mainstream holiday destination on the green list, was moved to amber.
However, the red, amber and green lists, which determine what restrictions will be in place for inbound arrivals to the UK, are due to be reviewed every three weeks, but will this push back close the door to new countries or regions being included in the green list, an objective on which the Canary Islands' hopes were pinned?
The UK Government say that the implication was that the reopening of international travel would have to be sacrificed while the UK battled with the new virus variant domestically.
The travel industry already fears that Boris Johnson’s government will keep quarantine rules in place for major holiday destinations for at least two more “traffic light” reviews, indicating no substantial easing of rules until August 5th, but hopefully it could change before then if infection rates fall, as the situation is due to be reviewed in two weeks’ time.
In the meantime, leisure travel and holidays to amber countries remains perfectly legal, although the government advises against it, and a 10-day quarantine plus two PCR tests await returning travellers.
Yesterday Jet2 confirmed that they will continue flying to the Canary Islands, as long they don’t on to the UK red list, as passenger numbers have increased as people are starting to accept the quarantine and test prices in the UK have come down.
