On Jan 17, Dominic Raab even hinted that incoming travellers may face GPS tracking, as the Government aims to limit quarantine breaches and prevent the spread of new variants.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon renewed the travel ban between Scotland and the rest of the UK as part of new lockdown measures which will last until Feb 1.
In an announcement on Dec 19, Ms Sturgeon said she also advised against non-essential overseas travel.
Wales has entered Level 4 restrictions. Only essential travel is allowed, stay-at-home restrictions are in place, and hospitality must close.
So who can travel overseas, or within the UK, under the latest lockdown? Here’s a look at what lockdown 3.0 means for our holidays.
Can I go on holiday right now?
No.
All non-essential travel is banned, including travelling abroad.
Will the UK close its borders to international travel?
Throughout the pandemic, the UK has not closed its borders to international travel.
However, the Government has imposed a travel ban for flights from South America and Portugal, as the Government moved to prevent the spread of a new highly-contagious strain of Covid from Brazil.
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, said he was taking “urgent” action to stop the Brazilian variant reaching Britain by all travel from South America, encompassing a total of 14 countries.
The full list of countries is Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela.
The UK is also considering imposing an Australia and New Zealand-style hotel quarantine for travellers, a measure which is supported by ministers such as Matt Hancock and Priti Patel.
However, there is serious concern within Mr Sunak’s Treasury and Mr Shapps’ Department for Transport (DfT) over the “severe” impact these measures could have not only on the aviation industry but also the wider economy.
Border controls are also being tightened as pre-travel Covid tests are being introduced in order for people to enter the country.
Airlines flying into the UK will be required to bar passengers from boarding if they do not have a negative Covid test within 72 hours of departure. This will apply to all nationalities, including Britons.
This is similar to measures put in place across the EU, including in countries such as France and Spain, who require a negative PCR test certificate upon entry.
More countries around the world are now considering tougher travel restrictions on UK arrivals due to Boris Johnson’s disclosure of the possible increased deadliness of the Kent variant of coronavirus.
The Dutch airline, KLM, has already scrapped all flights between the UK and the Netherlands following the announcement and said it would halt all flights for five days from Jan 23.
Could a vaccine make my holiday possible?
There are hopes that a vaccine could unlock travel.
This won’t happen for some time, but we can look forward to how a vaccine could bring an end to this tumultuous period for the travel industry. Paul Charles, chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “The vaccine development is the fillip that the travel sector was needing; a small boost in confidence to show people that 2021 will be better.”
He added that across the industry, bookings for this summer are starting to flow in, with the second half of the year likely to see a “boom in terms of overseas trips as well as staycations”.
“Prices will rise by 10-20 per cent to cater for the demand, as operators try to recover lost earnings from this year. But staying away from home will be the clear focus for consumers, not staying at home,” he told Telegraph Travel.
We’ve spoken to experts across different areas of the industry to see where a vaccine – and even the possibility of a vaccine in the coming months – might lead to a major boost for travellers.
However, if hotel quarantine measures are introduced in the UK and travellers have to fund their own hotel stay after arriving into the country, foreign holidays may not be possible until 2022 for Britons.
Are there any plans in place to boost travel?
The Department for Transport (DfT) is considering ‘vaccine stamps’ for passports in an attempt to boost the aviation industry this year.
Airlines are likely to demand proof of inoculation from passengers before they can travel, following the roll out of vaccines. Many airline officials have echoed support for the scheme, which could see more people travelling overseas by the middle of this year as the pandemic subsides.
Still want to book?
If you are still itching to book for a future date, it might be worth working through our consumer champion Nick Trend’s checklist, first:
1. Can you secure the holiday with a low, or even a zero, deposit?
If so, double-check the booking conditions: the small print for some arrangements may only require a small amount upfront but still commits you to higher cancellation charges if you decide not to go ahead.
2. What is the company’s cancellation policy?
Many airlines and operators are now offering much more flexible booking conditions and free postponements. BA, for example, is allowing new bookers to change dates and destination without incurring a fee, although you will need to pay any difference in price. This applies to journeys that are due to have been completed by Aug 31 2021.
3. Will your money be financially secure?
Very few travel companies are on a strong financial footing and some might not make it into next summer. So make sure you book with an Atol-protected tour operator or agent. If booking directly with an airline, make sure your travel insurance includes cover for financial failure, or pay with a credit card – ensuring a refund if the carrier collapses. If you book directly with a company based abroad, it may be very hard to get a refund if it goes out of business or your holiday is cancelled.
Got a question about the new tiers system? Comment below or email [email protected] for your questions to be answered by our experts.
