Airlines and travel companies will know the next round of changes to the UK government’s traffic light system on Thursday, ministers confirmed today.
Boris Johnson has also scrapped a proposed change to the system that would have seen an amber watchlist set up after from the industry, chancellor Rishi Sunak and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
Industry figures were concerned that the amber watchlist would have stalled any recovery in summer travel.
Countries on the list would have been at risk of being moved up to the red list, which requires anyone coming back to the UK from a visit to quarantine in a hotel for ten days at a cost of £1,750.
Concern has been growing that the visitors to places such as Spain, Greece and Italy might bring the Delta variant back to the UK.
Spain has been widely reported as a candidate to be moved on to the amber plus list alongside France due to a rise in the number of Beta variant cases.
These cases though are being overshadowed by a rise in the more infectious Delta variant, and these are an ongoing concern for the UK government said Boris Johnson.
“On travel, we have had to balance it because of the anxiety that I think a lot of people have – I have – about importing new variants, bringing back the disease.”
France is being tipped to be downgraded to amber again in Thursday’s review, after a decline in Beta variant cases.
That will mean people who have had two vaccination jabs will not have to self-isolate if they come back from holiday in France, though they will still have to take Covid-19 tests.
Shares in British Airways owner IAG dropped 0.7% to 172.24p, EasyJet PLC fell 1.6% to 832.8p though Ryanair rose 0.4% to €16.84.