DNBC NEWS
DNBC NEWS
AIR WE GO! Summer holidays to get green light in days with air bridges to 10 hotspots including Spain, Greece, Portugal & AUSTRALIA
Britta Zeltmann 21 Jun 2020, 10:00Updated: 21 Jun 2020, 10:02
SUMMER holidays are set to get the green light within days as the UK draws up plans to form air bridges with at least ten holiday hotspots.
Around a dozen countries - including Spain, Greece, Portugal, France and Australia - are expected to scrap 14-day quarantine rules for Brits in exchange for the same treatment in return.
The new air bridges could be opened from as soon as July 4, with ministers expected to announce the plans on June 29 when the quarantine policy will be reviewed.
Portugal's ambassador to the UK has made clear that Portugal wants to welcome Brits once again after the coronavirus alert level was reduced yesterday.
Manuel Lobo Antunes told BBC Radio 4's Today show: "There was very good news for you, for us, for Europe that the alert system has come from four to three and that means a significant improvement in the control of the pandemic here in the UK.
"We think that the situation is under control and we would be happy to receive, as before, as many British as possible."
A local resident, 24, said police first attended at 7pm on Saturday but did nothing.
Australia, Gibraltar and Bermuda are also being considered for "travel corridors" and the number of countries involved in the plan is likely to increase after June 29.
GREEN LIGHT
Officials are said to be considering the risk holiday makers pose for spreading coronavirus in each destination before they give any air bridges the green light.
The travel corridors will also only be given the go ahead once the chief medical officer and the Foreign Office agree to lift bans on non-essential travel to the destinations.
An aviation source told The Telegraph: "It is work in progress – risk first, and how you measure that risk, followed by the popularity of the destination.”
The Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed to Radio 4's Today programme earlier this week that the Government is close to introducing travel corridors with certain countries soon.
Mr Hancock said: "That's the plan.
"The quarantine policy is important because there are some countries around the world where this virus is not under control, however, there's other countries where it may be safe to be able to not have a quarantine in place.
"So ahead of the formal review of the quarantine arrangements on the 29th of June, I'm working with Grant Shapps on whether there are countries that have a low rate of infection where we can come to an agreement on a travel corridor."
Travel between the UK and France will also be raised in a meeting between the two countries this week, Boris Johnson has said.
