Hopes rise for foreign summer holidays as ministers draw up plans for 'air bridges' as early as June

Foreign summer holidays could be back on, under plans to open “air bridges” in June to countries including Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece being drawn up by ministers.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is working with industry chiefs on “holiday corridors” to low-risk countries amid mounting opposition in and outside Government to the 14-day quarantine due to start on June 8.

Airport and airline chiefs are pressing for the first “air bridges” to open as early as June 8 to enable passengers to sidestep quarantine although ministers are understood to believe June 29 is a more likely date when the effectiveness of the travel restrictions are first reviewed.

“There is certainly a willingness in Government to try to do as much for this summer as is safe,” said a senior DfT source. “We are trying to get as much opened as possible this summer.”

Yesterday the UK’s airlines submitted a list of countries requested by the DfT and Home Office and assessed by the industry as “viable” destinations for air bridges because of demand from holidaymakers. They include Portugal, Greece, Spain, Italy and Turkey.

The DfT is also working with the industry on new guidelines for “safe” travel which are expected to be finalised within days including face coverings or masks throughout the journey, temperature checks, social distancing in airports and contactless travel including for check-ins and payments.

Ministers are being advised there will need to be clear criteria to determine whether a destination can be deemed “low risk” and has effective measures to reduce infection rates.

It is understood there is scientific backing from Public Health England (PHE) which has endorsed the principle of “air bridges” between the UK and “low risk” countries.

Senior ministers from the Treasury, business and transport departments are also pushing to kill off an extended quarantine because of the economic damage. The Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) yesterday warned it could cost the economy £650 million a week.

“I don’t think the Government behind the scenes are of one voice on quarantine. There’s push back from the Treasury, BEIS and Transport. What has driven this is the Home Office,” said one senior Tory source.

A senior industry source said: “I don’t know anyone apart from Priti Patel and Dominic Cummings who are pushing for quarantine.”

A Home Office source said there was consensus to ease quarantine as soon as possible “but only when it is safe.”

“It would be horrendous for the economy to have a second wave and go back into lockdown,” he said.   "By opening too quickly and too fast - which is what the airlines and hoteliers seem to want to do - they are potentially putting the lives of people at risk.”

Henry Smith, who heads a cross-party group of  45 MPs opposed to quarantine, wants it debated in Parliament next week. “I would encourage the Government to actively engage with industry and other countries to try to at least salvage some of the summer travel period,” he said.

Karen Dee, chief executive of the airport operators’ association, said: “With a bit of effort from the Government, we could open the first air bridges from 8 June, when the new quarantine restrictions are due to come in. 

“That would mean only arrivals from high-risk countries would have to self-isolate for 14-days upon arrival, while travel can start flowing again between the UK and low-risk countries.”

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, said: “If June 8 proves too challenging then the initial review period of 29 June must be the deadline for getting these agreed so people can start travelling again, and we can begin to repair some of the crippling economic damage done to the UK.”

Most European holiday destinations will lift their quarantine or border restrictions in mid June, or by the start of July at the latest. 

Pressure on ministers to ease UK travel curbs will increase when France lifts its quarantine on June 15 for all EU countries except those like the UK which impose quarantine on a “reciprocal” basis.

Greece yesterday dealt a blow to ministers by excluding the UK from a list of “safe” countries from which it would accept tourists, but the Greek Government said it would review it on July 1. It has previously declared its willingness to negotiate a bilateral “air corridor” with the UK.