Fully vaccinated might not need to quarantine on return from Amber List countries
The government's considering the idea as one airline looks to begin legal proceedings over the traffic light system
Last updated 17th Jun 2021
Vaccines could play a role in opening up international travel for British holidaymakers, under plans being considered by the Government.
The news comes as one airline looks set to sue the government over the traffic light system.
What could change?
Officials are looking at proposals that could allow Britons who have had both coronavirus vaccine doses to avoid having to quarantine when returning from countries on the amber list, according to reports in the Daily Telegraph.
A Government spokeswoman confirmed that work has begun to “consider the role of vaccinations” for inbound travel following the continued success of the jab’s rollout.
This could mean the return of holidays to popular summer hotspots such as Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, which are all currently on the UK’s amber list.
People arriving from the limited number of holiday destinations on the green list are not required to self-isolate, while amber arrivals must quarantine at home for 10 days.
A Government spokeswoman said: “As set out in the Global Travel Taskforce, we are working with industry for a safe return to international travel, guided by one overwhelming priority, public health.
“Decisions on our traffic light system are kept under constant review, and based on a range of health factors.
“Recognising the strong strategic rationale and success of the vaccine programme, we have commenced work to consider the role of vaccinations in shaping a different set of health and testing measures for inbound travel.”
Demand for air travel collapsed in March of last year when the UK went into lockdown in response to the crisis, with the Government now under pressure to restart international travel by the battered tourism industry.
Ryanair to begin legal action
Ryanair is reportedly preparing to launch legal action with the owner of Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports against the Government over its international travel traffic light system.
The risk-based system with red, amber and green ratings for different countries, determines the quarantine and coronavirus testing requirements people face when returning to the UK.
The legal action to be brought by Ryanair and the Manchester Airport Group will call for more transparency over how Whitehall decides which countries qualify for the green list, the BBC said.
An industry body warned on June 9 the “failed and damaging” system for international travel must be abandoned if the UK travel and tourism sector is to be saved from total collapse.
The London-based World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said the Government must scrap the system, which has “wreaked havoc” among consumers and businesses, in order to save hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has said the “stop, go, stop, go approach to travel is bonkers”.
He told Sky News: “It’s typical of Boris Johnson’s Government, just making this stuff up as they go along.
“There is no green list.
“What we keep calling for in the travel industry is, now that we have 80% of the adult population of Britain vaccinated, why can’t those people go on holidays to Portugal and Spain without restrictions? They’re already vaccinated.”