Industry hopes of an expanded green list of destinations in time for the peak summer season are rising despite the government insisting it will maintain a “tough border regime”.
A senior aviation source ruled out significant changes in the government’s initial review of the green list promised by June 7 but suggested a wider review set for June 28 offers a realistic chance of “expansion of the green list and changes to the [traffic light] system”.
The government launched its promised Covid-19 vaccination certificate for travellers via the NHS app on Monday and the source insisted: “It’s an enormous step forward.”
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The source suggested events are “aligning better than we hoped” and said: “Probably not much will change around June 7, but the review on June 28 gives time to look at the countries and strategy in detail and at what other countries in Europe are doing.
“The government should be in a position to make that a meaningful date.”
The source added: “We have to be realistic. Our focus now is on June 28 to get expansion of the green list and changes to the system of testing.
“One challenge is getting the four nations to line up – that is a huge priority.”
Prime minister Boris Johnson insisted “we’ll be maintaining a very tough border regime for the foreseeable future” as he confirmed the easing of restrictions on hospitality this week despite growing concerns about the latest variant identified first in India.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps this morning told Sky News that travellers should apply “common sense” when deciding whether or not to visit amber list destinations, reiterating health secretary Matt Hancock’s comments yesterday that holidays are advised against but not banned.
Shapps accepted: “There’s a heck of a lot of hassle involved in [returning from] an amber country… green lists are for holidays.”
Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer told Travel Weekly: “The government is clearly being cautious.”
He said: “Our first priority is to get more destinations on the green list. Second, it’s to make sure delays coming into the country are at an absolute minimum because that would deter travel, and third it’s to increase the support available to travel companies.”
Abta wrote to the government last week as a prelude to seeking a judicial review of support for the sector.
Tanzer said: “The repeated advice to people not to travel adds to the argument that they should provide extra support.”
Alan Bowen, legal advisor to the Association of Atol Companies, forecast the green list would “remain fairly limited” saying: “I expect June 28 will be the earliest date [for expansion].
“By then Portugal will have seen what we’ve done to them and we’ll see what they’ve done to us.”
But he warned: “I fear if anything comes off the green list, we’ll be finished for the summer.”
Bowen described the Department for Transport’s Passenger Charter, launched on Monday, as “back of the envelope stuff” noting: “The aim is to instil confidence. [But] it’s a 15-page document that would probably put people off booking.”
However, the airline source suggested confusion around the restart presents “an enormous opportunity for travel agents to wrestle back a portion of the market”, saying: “Booking travel for the foreseeable future will take more care and attention than just click and pay.
“I’d be pushing big on this. People need more help than they’ve ever done.”
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