LONDON: Britain is considering easing travel restrictions for double vaccinated people, a move which would placate airlines who are threatening legal action against the government鈥檚 strict curbs on trips abroad. Pressure is building in the aviation industry, with airlines desperate for restrictions to be relaxed in time for July and the peak season when they make most of their profits, but Britain sticking to quarantine requirements which deter travel.
Europe鈥檚 biggest airline Ryanair is set to file papers on Thursday to launch legal action against Britain over its travel policy.
However, Britain has now indicated that a relaxation could be on the cards.
The country鈥檚 Department for Transport said on Thursday that it was considering how vaccinations could be used for inbound travel. More than half of UK adults have received both doses of COVID-19 vaccine, putting it far ahead of Europe.
Reports in the Daily Telegraph said that Britain was looking to follow the European Union鈥檚 move to allow fully vaccinated tourists to avoid COVID-19 tests and quarantine from July.
鈥淲e have commenced work to consider the role of vaccinations in shaping a different set of health and testing measures for inbound travel,鈥� a government spokesperson said on Thursday.
Ryanair, along with British Airways and easyJet have repeatedly called on the government to allow vaccinated travelers to avoid quarantine, as well as for an easing of restrictions to some lower risk countries.
The chief executive of Ryanair has called the UK鈥檚 travel policy 鈥渁 shambles,鈥� and such is the airline鈥檚 frustration that it now wants to sue the government over its 鈥渙paque鈥� system for classifying travel destinations as green, amber or red.
Under plans being considered by the government, people who have had two doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be allowed to avoid quarantine on their return from amber list countries, although they will still have to be tested, the Daily Telegraph said.
Asked about the report, Financial Secretary to the Treasury Jesse Norman told Sky News on Thursday that nothing was ruled out in considering how to re-open travel.
鈥淲e are trying to move cautiously and progressively in the right direction so I wouldn鈥檛 write anything off at this point,鈥� he said.
Britain allowed international travel to resume last month, but nearly all major destinations like Spain, France, Italy and the United States were left off its safe list, and as amber countries require 10 days of quarantine plus multiple tests.
The safe green list is due to be updated on June 24 and the government said in April it will review its travel policy before the end of June.