UK removes quarantine requirement for arrivals from Balearics, Malta and some Caribbean islands as it happened – The Guardian

Here is some reaction to the changes to the UKs green list from our transport correspondent, Gwyn Topham.

The Balearic islands accounted for more than 8% of UK flights to EU countries in the last pre-Covid summer of 2019, when almost 1,000 flights a week would depart from the UK, according to data from analysts Cirium.

Next week just 214 are scheduled to fly from the UK to the islands, mainly from Jet 2 and Ryanair, with 32 to Malta and 19 to Madeira, although the number of flights is expected to rise rapidly. EasyJet said it would be adding more services to the Balearics to meet an anticipated surge in demand.

Virgin Atlantic welcomed the addition of Caribbean destinations to the green list but said the announcement did not go far enough. Shai Weiss, chief executive, said: The governments own evidence shows that the US is low risk and should be added to the green list now. Whilst the transatlantic corridor is closed, 23m in economic value each day is restricted.

He called for quarantine to be removed for fully vaccinated passengers from amber countries in time for the domestic reopening on 19 July.

The Business Travel Association described the updated green list as bitterly disappointing, saying the lack of major economies on the list was cutting off British business. The Unite union said that the small changes showed that the system was not fit for purpose, and reiterated calls for help for the beleaguered travel and aviation sector.

A spokesman said: Asking an entire industry to hold its breath every three weeks to see where countries will be placed on the traffic light system prevents sensible planning decisions being made.

The Airport Operators Association said any extension of the green list was welcome, but this is not yet the meaningful restart the aviation industry needs to be able to recover from the pandemic.

The chair of the transport select committee, Huw Merriman, who had slammed the shambolic traffic light system earlier this week, said the changes were a move in the right direction but that travel to the more than 150 countries on the amber list was still unnecessarily difficult.

He said the government should admit going abroad is safe for those who have had both jabs in time for the start of the July summer holidays.

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UK removes quarantine requirement for arrivals from Balearics, Malta and some Caribbean islands as it happened - The Guardian