Jet2 suspends flights and holidays until mid-June

Jet2 has announced flights and holidays have been postponed until June 23 (Photo credit should read PASCAL PAVANI/AFP via Getty Images)

On Friday, April 9, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said people can ‘start to think’ about booking overseas summer holidays but they won’t be able to book up with Jet2.com until after June 23.

Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2.com, said he is ‘extremely disappointed at the lack of clarity and detail’ following the announcement of the Global Travel Taskforce’s framework.

It includes making all UK arrivals take pre-departure and post-arrival COVID-19 tests.

Mr Heapy said:" After several weeks exploring how to restart international travel, with substantial assistance and input from the industry, the framework lacks any rigorous detail about how to get international travel going again. In fact, the framework is virtually the same as six months ago.

“Following the publication of the framework today, we still do not know when we can start to fly, where we can fly to and the availability and cost of testing. Rather than answering questions, the framework leaves everyone asking more.”

Holidaymakers can start to think about booking overseas trips, says transport se...

The Department for Transport (DfT) refused to confirm whether foreign holidays will be permitted from May 17, which is the earliest date under the Prime Minister’s road map.

It also insisted it was “too early to predict which countries will be on which list” under a new risk-based traffic light system, with an “initial assessment” to be produced “by early May”.

Mr Heapy added: “Because of the continued uncertainty that the framework provides, it is with a heavy heart that we have taken the decision to extend the suspension of flights and holidays up to and including 23rd June 2021.”

People arriving from a “green” country will not be required to self-isolate, but those entering the UK from an “amber” destination must quarantine for 10 days.

Existing rules for arrivals from “red” locations will continue, including the requirement to pay to enter a quarantine hotel.

These restrictions will be “formally reviewed” on June 28 to take account of “the domestic and international health picture and to see whether current measures could be rolled back”, the DfT added.

A “Green Watchlist” will be introduced to identify countries most at risk of moving from “green” to “amber”.

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