New foreign holiday farce

Only 25 of the 59 ‘air bridge’ countries have no restrictions

HOLIDAYMAKERS hoping to take advantage of long-awaited air bridge plans are facing a ‘maze’ of red tape after it emerged that fewer than half of the approved destinations allow travel without any restrictions.

On Friday, the Government finally announced that travellers would be able to visit 59 countries without having to quarantine for two weeks in the UK upon return.

These include popular holiday destinations such as Spain, France and Italy, but analysis reveals that the plans – last week branded ‘utterly shambolic’ by Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – are likely to confuse travellers further, as only 25 countries allow travel without any restrictions.

The remaining countries named as part of the Department for Transport’s [DfT] ‘travel corridors’ list place a varied range of stipulations – from quarantine measures to outright bans on UK visitors.

To add to the confusion for holidaymakers, the Foreign Office has published its own list of 67 countries where advice against ‘all but essential travel’ no longer applies.

Countries such as Australia appear on both lists, despite the country’s borders being all but closed to anyone who is not an Australian citizen or permanent resident.

Last night Paul Charles, a travel consultant behind The PC Agency which led the Quash Quarantine campaign, said the messages were ‘utterly confusing.’ He added: ‘It’s great that progress has been made in removing the blanket quarantine and showing which countries it is possible to visit, but for the consumer it is a complete maze at the moment. It’s significantly complex. The consumer is unlikely to do all of the research needed. They just want to know where they can go to.

‘Further confusion has been created by the two separate lists. Plus, the fact you have to check with the country you intend to visit that there aren’t extra restrictions.

‘The Government needs to produce a list or map of where you can go – without inbound or outbound restrictions – as of now. That would be the most sensible option.’

Despite the Foreign Office granting travel to the Cayman Islands, all airports at the destination are closed to international flights ‘ until further notice’. New Zealand is named on the DfT’s approved list, but official advice says the country is closed ‘to almost all arrivals.’ On arrival in Austria, visitors will have to hand over a negative coronavirus test taken within the previous four days or self-isolate for two weeks.

Noel Josephides, the chairman of Sunvil, which runs breaks in Greece and Cyprus, said the two differing sets of advice were ‘very odd’.

‘It is highly confusing for travellers,’ he told The Sunday Times. ‘It’s as though Government departments don’t actually speak to each other. All we want is one list.’

A DfT source last night said the making of one list was under ‘active consideration’.

Travellers hoping to rely on the DfT guidance are also urged to check the latest FCO advice to see whether self-isolation measures are in place for their outbound journey. It came as holidaymakers were warned that their flights could be cancelled because of the continuing uncertainty.

Airlines are said to be planning their services ‘ hand to mouth’ because of confusion over regulations, plunging travel plans into chaos.

Airlines expert John Strickland, director of JLS Consulting, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Several airlines have planned flights and put them on sale, only to find that government policies and regulatory conditions in one country or another have meant that it is not possible to operate.’

Did you recognise our megastar? It was Dame Helen Mirren in mask and goggles as she took advantage of the easing of air restrictions to fly off at the weekend.

‘It is highly confusing’