Holidays saved by 60 air bridges as Government's farce over quarantine ends

Green light sparks scramble for getaways to tourist favourites such as France, Italy and Spain  

Summer holidays were saved today as air bridges were announced from July 10 to more than 60 foreign destinations including France, Italy and Spain.

British families will be allowed to fly to favourite sunshine destinations including the Spanish Costas, Brittany and Tuscany without the need for 14 days of quarantine when they come home.

Most countries in the European Union, including Croatia and Cyprus, though not Portugal or Greece for now, are set to be cleared for holidays. Switzerland and Turkey are also expected to be included.

A furore erupted when the Scottish and Welsh devolved governments declined to sign up to the scheme immediately, meaning the freedoms currently only apply in England.

It raises the possibility of Scots using airports south of the border to sidestep Nicola Sturgeon’s rules.

France was added to the list of 50 countries and another dozen territories at the 11th hour last night in a phone call between Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and his counterpart that had been delayed by a government reshuffle in Paris.

A new traffic light system will list countries as green, red or amber. Amber countries can qualify for the travel corridors if their governments strike special reciprocal agreements guaranteeing safeguards and free access both ways.

Grant Shapps
10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty

Germany, New Zealand, Australia and dozens of islands such as Fiji are in the green zone, whose programmes to eradicate Covid-19 have been so successful that no agreement is required, allowing passengers to arrive freely from them — if those countries do in fact allow them in. The Falklands are green.

The breakthrough ends the blanket 14-day quarantine rules that critics branded a farce because not a single fine was issued by police to enforce self-isolation.

A spokesman for trade association Airlines UK said: “There’s no doubt quarantine has had a devastating impact on our industry and while it’s welcome the Government has removed its blanket ban, we would encourage rigour and science is applied in all future decisions surrounding our businesses.”

Among popular short-haul destinations, Portugal is the biggest name on the quarantine red list because the virus is still too prevalent, though it is hoped that will change over summer.

Greece is on the amber list, but Athens has postponed negotiations with London until its next review of quarantine, which is not due until July 15.

America is firmly in the red zone, along with Brazil and India, countries where Covid-19 is still rampant. That means that even if Donald Trump lifts his ban on flights from Europe, arrivals in the UK would be subject to 14-day self-isolation.

Arrivals from Russia, China and much of Africa are subject to the 14-day isolation rule because of doubts about the reliability of data for infections and fatalities.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “There will be large parts of the world I’m afraid at the moment where you will have to observe 14 days quarantine when you come in, and that is only right.” Mr Shapps told the Standard: “The list has been drawn up with a great deal of care and attention. The great news is that it is now possible to safely take a holiday to any of the countries on the air bridges list.”

People who are setting off to an air bridge or safe country this weekend will not have to quarantine provided they return to the UK next Friday or later.

The move paves the way for families to go abroad this summer 
Getty Images

Passengers using air bridges will have to provide details of which country they have visited and where they will be staying on their return to England.

Mr Shapps said: “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.

“The entire nation has worked tirelessly to get to this stage, therefore safety must remain our watch word and we will not hesitate to move quickly to protect ourselves if infection rates rise in countries we are reconnecting with.”

Tomorrow the Foreign Office is expected to update its travel advice warning against all non-essential travel, which has been in place since March 17. A full list of the countries deemed to pose “a reduced risk to the public health of UK citizens” will be published by the Transport department online this afternoon. But it will be kept “under constant review” in case conditions change.

Mr Shapps delayed publishing the list until today because he had hoped to get Scottish and Welsh executives on board. A Scottish Government spokesman claimed he gave them only “last-minute sight” of the plans, saying: “It is disappointing that the UK Government have chosen to make an announcement on the countries they intend to exempt before a four-nations agreement has been reached.” However, officials in London pointed out that Westminster acted on the advice of the Joint Biosecurity Centre, which includes all four nations and regions.

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