Sun, sea and sand for thousands as Covid-19 holiday rules ease

Airports are seeing the first queues as British sun worshippers are taking advantage of the change in Covid-19 holiday rules.

Jetsetters from all across the United Kingdom are travelling to the twelve countries green lit by the Government. In April, bookings were around 500,000 a week. Now they are at 1.5 million a week, although this is still well below the pre pandemic level.

The Chief Executive of RyanAir Michael O’Leary says he “is optimistic for the next couple of months”. According to BA’s chief executive, the six flights due to leave Heathrow today were very busy. These flights are due to go to “green” destinations such as Lisbon, Faro and Madeira.

Holiday organisers Thomas Cook said bookings were in their hundreds, rather than thousands. 75% of the bookings were travellers jetting off to Portugal. Portugal have announced that holiday goers will only be able to enter the country if they can prove a negative PCR test. The PCR test, for Covid-19, will need to have been taken within the last 72 hours.

Due to the demand, TUI will send out 19 scheduled flights next week. Eight of the 19 will now be on Boeing Dreamliner’s. These aeroplanes hold 345 people, almost twice as many as a Boeing 737. This last minute change is to keep up with demands.

Covid-19 lockdown left people longing for luxury

After a year spent in lockdown, it appears people are going ‘all out’ on their latest troubles. The Chief operating officer of Hays Travel has said the average cost of a holiday has jumped from £340 to over £4,000 for a family of four.

Travellers are welcome to pay this as they attempt to tick locations off their list following a year locked indoors. Thomas Cook confirmed this believe as they have 85% of bookings in four and five star resorts. Before the lockdown, only around half of the bookings had this kind of luxury.

Caroline Davies, Transport Correspondent for the BBC, confirms travelling is strange. Whilst masks are still mandatory except for when drinking and eating, there is no social distancing on the plane.

The paper work is the hardest. For her travels; Caroline has a passport, proof of PCR test, passenger locator form and proof that she will be returning. She will have to fill in another locator form when returning to the UK, to ensure she can be found in the case of a Covid-19 outbreak.

Travellers can use the NHS App – which is different to the NHS Covid-19 app – from today. This app can be used at border control to prove they have received both doses. However, the Government is asking people to ensure they know the countries’ entry requirements before booking.

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