Jet2 launches Portugal holidays as Spain continues to be suspended

Government advice finally opens up Algarve packages

Jet2 is making 102 pilots redundant (Getty)

In response to the latest government changes, Jet2 has been quick off the blocks to relaunch flights and package holidays to Portugal, while extending its suspension of trips to mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands.

After the news that mainland Portugal will be added to the UK’s quarantine-exempt list from 4am on Saturday 22 August, as well as the Foreign Office’s list of countries exempt from its blanket advisory against all international travel, the tour operator confirmed it would renew services to Faro from Monday.

It will also start up multiple weekly flights to Portugal from Belfast International, Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle.

“We welcome this change in government advice, which means that customers can once again look forward to enjoying their well-deserved holidays in the stunning Algarve region,” said chief executive Steve Heapy.

“Despite the government advice that has been in place, the demand for flights and holidays to Portugal has remained strong, so we are looking forward to resuming our operations to Faro in addition to Madeira.”

Jet2holidays simultaneously revealed it has extended it suspension of flights and holiday to Spain and the Balearics.

Up to and including 29 August, all trips will automatically be cancelled and refunded, with operations expected to resume on 30 August.

However, the restart date of 23 August for the Canary Islands has not been changed.

Tour operators were forced to cancel thousands of holidays to Spain, the most popular destination for British tourists, after the government removed the country from its list of “travel corridors” exempt from quarantine restrictions at the end of July following a spike in infections.

Industry leaders, including airlines, tour operators and airports, have repeatedly called on the government to adopt a more “nuanced” approach by introducing measures such as regional travel corridors.