Travellers arrive at Heathrow Airport in London, on May 3, 2021 - Reuters
LONDON (Reuters): Britain will allow international travel to resume from May 17 after months of banning most trips abroad, but nearly all major destinations were left off its list of countries open for quarantine-free holidays.
Just 12 countries and territories made the so-called “green list”. They include Portugal, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and the tiny Faroe Islands. The top four destinations - Spain, France, Italy and the United States - were among those left off, angering stricken airlines and holiday companies battling for survival. Those four sit in the amber category, requiring self-isolation for those returning to the UK.
08/05/2021
Related: New South Wales Premier labels New Zealand travel pause an overreaction . Credits: Video - Newshub; Image - file
Britain will allow international travel to resume from May 17 but just a handful of countries made a list of destinations open for quarantine-free holidays as the government cautiously lifts coronavirus restrictions.
The green list for easier travel announced on Friday (UK time) included just 12 countries and territories, among them Portugal, Israel, New Zealand, Australia and the Faroe Islands.
That angered stricken airlines and holiday companies that are battling for survival after a year of minimal flying.
Left off the list were Spain, France, Italy and the United States, the top four most visited countries by UK residents in 2019, which all sit in the amber category, requiring self-isolation on return to the UK.
U.K. Reopens Travel to 12 Locations as Tourist Hotspots Miss Out
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(Bloomberg) Britain will permit relatively open leisure travel to just 12 nations and territories including Portugal as it seeks to restart tourism while keeping control over the coronavirus pandemic.
A legal ban on international leisure trips will be eased from May 17, the Department for Transport confirmed on Friday. Return journeys from approved countries will require Covid-19 tests but no period of quarantine.
Also on the “green list” with Portugal and its island provinces of Madeira and the Azores are Israel, Iceland, the Faroes, Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand and Australia, together with the British territories of Gibraltar and the Falklands. There’s no place for the European holiday hotspots of Spain, Greece and France, and trans-Atlantic trips vital to some airlines remain on hold.
Which States Are Going to be on the UK Cabinet s Green Travel List? albawaba.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from albawaba.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Border Force staff are demanding tougher penalties for airlines that fail to check passengers Covid paperwork causing huge delays at airports.
Even with non-essential travel banned under current rules, pictures show seven-hour queues as officials individually check thousands of passengers Covid paperwork on arrival.
Last week, a woman collapsed at the passport control desk after waiting for hours to be seen.
And, with May 17 marking an end to the government s ban on overseas holidays there are fears the delays could worsen.
The Immigration Services Union - which represents Border force workers - said pressure to ensure arrivals have followed Covid travel rules should be on the airlines.