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The quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated UK travellers arriving from amber list countries could be scrapped from July 19.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, is expected to announce on Thursday whether foreign travel for those with both jabs will open up at the same time as domestic restrictions are lifted. Government sources have said July 19 is the “ambition”.
The Daily Mail reports that Border Force objections, thought to be a key barrier to the plans, have now lessened.
It quoted a Whitehall source as saying: “Border Force do have to make some technical changes and they had asked for a bit longer to get the new systems in place. But they can see the writing on the wall on this and they have accepted it will be the 19th.”
Previously, it was expected that the current rules would stay in place until August.
The move could see the return of relatively hassle-free holidays to destinations such as Spain, Greece and France. However, concerns are mounting that the UK’s rising infection rate might see certain countries put increased restrictions on British holidaymakers.
Travellers will still be expected to have a pre-departure test before flying back to Britain from an amber list country, and pay for a PCR test on or before day two of their arrival home.
Scroll down for more updates.
Fast-track lanes for vaccinated passengers at Heathrow
Fully vaccinated holidaymakers are to get fast-track lanes at Heathrow under plans to open up quarantine-free foreign travel to amber list countries.
They will digitally upload their vaccination certificates in advance of their flight before presenting them on arrival and being directed to separate lanes at immigration to fast-track them through border controls and prevent queues.
British Airways, Virgin and Heathrow will launch the trial scheme by the weekend.
What happened yesterday?
A recap of the top stories.
- Balearics ‘increasingly nervous’ of losing green status as cases rise
- Spain’s health ministry recommends immediate closure of all nightlife venues
- Comment: ‘Scrapping quarantine for amber destinations may not be the golden ticket we hoped for’
- Germany lifts travel ban on passengers from UK
- Face masks will remain mandatory on planes, airlines warn
- South American ski resorts reopen
- Comment: ‘Cruise ships are being used as a punchbag for Scotland’s Covid virtue-signallers’
Now, on with today’s travel news.