Yahoo News Travel news: 60 countries exempt from UK quarantine to be announced today
The Government will today reveal a list of up to 60 countries exempt from a UK quarantine, effectively giving the go-ahead for holidays this summer.
The list, expected to be revealed as a 'traffic light system', will also coincide with the loosening of the Foreign Office advice, which has warned against all but essential travel since mid-March.
Spain, Italy, France and Germany are expected to appear on the list, which will be released at lunchtime.
The announcement will mean English holidaymakers returning to the UK from 60 countries will not need to self-isolate for 14 days. The devolved nations are due to set out their own rules at a later date.
The rule change will come into effect from Saturday July 10 – not July 6, as previously suggested – with the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps describing it as a major step in "reopening the nation".The Government had originally hoped for a UK-wide approach, but the England-only exemptions come after days of disagreements with Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.
“Today marks the next step in carefully reopening our great nation. Whether you are a holidaymaker ready to travel abroad or a business eager to open your doors again, this is good news for British people and great news for British businesses,” Grant Shapps said.
“The entire nation has worked tirelessly to get to this stage, therefore safety must remain our watchword and we will not hesitate to move quickly to protect ourselves if infection rates rise in countries we are reconnecting with.”
The news will be welcomed by the travel and tourism industry, as well as English holidaymakers keen to get away this summer, although some have vented frustration at the way the Government has communicated its plans in recent weeks.
One focus of criticism is that quarantine exemption is not the same as 'air bridges' that have been mentioned in recent weeks. Air bridges, or bilateral travel agreements, would have ensured no quarantine on arrival. However, some destinations expected to be given the green light today – including New Zealand and Australia – could continue to quarantine UK arrivals for as long as the rest of 2020. Many of the destinations expected to appear on the list, like Spain, are not quarantining UK arrivals.
Follow all the day's news below.
06:28 AMAir travel is safest form of public transport during coronavirus crisis, says adviser
Air travel is safest form of public transport during coronavirus crisis, says adviser
Flying in a plane is the safest form of public transport during the coronavirus outbreak thanks to the "disciplined" approach found within airports and airlines, a professor who advised the Department for Transport (DfT) has said.
Ashley Woodcock, a professor of respiratory medicine at Manchester University, said plane travel was structured in a way that "anarchic" trains or the London Underground were not.
Prof Woodcook, who led an expert group that advised the DfT and industry, added:
Travel in planes is a very disciplined environment. People form queues, they sit facing the same way [and as such] it's safer than other forms of public transport because of all the discipline in airports and airlines.
This had been boosted by measures to ensure airports and planes were "super clean", with hand gel stations situated throughout airports, social distancing of two metres where possible and compulsory face coverings to mitigate contact when under two metres apart.
Read the full report by Charles Hymas here.
06:23 AMDomestic tourism in Northern Ireland reopens today
Domestic tourism in Northern Ireland reopens today
Telegraph Travel's Emma Cooke is flying from London Heathrow to cover the reopening of domestic tourism in Northern Island. She had an early start at the airport today, where hand sanitiser dispensers are everywhere. Signs also request that those in the terminal wear a face covering at all times.
Video from the scene shows that while the airport is not crowded, it is not as empty as some might expect.
Heathrow’s not crowded but it’s also not as empty as I thought it would be! pic.twitter.com/gJuxRMdBVH
— Emma Cooke (@PetiteBlondine) July 3, 2020
You can follow her on Twitter for more live updates. Or find out what is was like on board easyJet's first postlock-down flight here.
06:22 AMWhich countries will be on the list?
Which countries will be on the list?
We are being told that "up to 60" countries including Spain, France and Greece will feature on the list, set to be announced at lunchtime.
However, Telegraph Travel has noticed that the FCO has been tinkering its advice to 56 destinations, with the latest update reading: "Editorial review to remove ‘Return to the UK’ section and improve ‘Coronavirus’ section", the countries with this alert include:
Latvia, San Marino, Poland, Austria, Norway, Italy, Hungary, Turkey, Switzerland, Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Cyprus, Malta, Iceland, Slovakia, Serbia, Germany, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Reunion, Australia, Finland, St Pierre and Miquelon, Andorra, New Zealand, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Gibraltar, Spain, Greece, St Kitts and Nevis, Martinique, Monaco, St Lucia, Canada, Wallis and Futuna, Trinidad and Tobago, Montenegro, Bermuda, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei, French Polynesia, Denmark, Belgium, Estonia, France, Malaysia, Ireland, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Portugal.
This could be coincidental, of course.
06:00 AMWhat happened yesterday?
What happened yesterday?
A recap:
- CAA criticises airlines refund policies
- Ryanair sees June traffic fall 97 per cent year-on-year
- Welsh pubs, restaurants and cafes can reopen outdoor areas from July 13
- UK Government blames Scotland over air bridges fiasco
- Tokyo records highest number of Covid-19 cases in two months
Now, on with today's news.
