Travel industry welcomes reversal of Omicron testing rules

‘A robust plan for future variants that does not mean closing our borders and strangling our sector once more is imperative’ – Clive Wratten, CEO, Business Travel Association

Flying away: easyJet and other travel businesses have welcomed the eased restrictions on international arrivals to the UK (Simon Calder)

Airlines, airports and holiday companies have broadly welcomed the government’s decision to revert to “pre-Omicron” rules for international travellers to England.

Fully vaccinated arrivals after 4am on Friday 7 January 2022 need not present a pre-departure test certificate to the airline, ferry company or train operator.

From 4am on Sunday, double jabbed arrivals may also take a faster, cheaper lateral flow test on the day of arrival or one of the two following days, rather than a PCR test as was previously required.

Self-isolation while waiting for results will no longer be required for those who have had two jabs or more.

The same rules apply to all under 18s.

The chief executive of easyJet, Johan Lundgren, said: “We welcome the government’s decision to remove the unnecessary and costly pre-departure testing for travellers and revert to a single lateral flow test on arrival.

“This will make travel much simpler and easier and means our customers can book and travel with confidence.

“However the government must now urgently take the final step towards restriction free travel and remove the last remaining unnecessary test for vaccinated travellers, so flying does not become the preserve of the rich.”

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, said the move “will help to boost confidence at what is traditionally the busiest booking period of the year”.

But she added: “We must start to see a consistent approach from government in terms of the future relaxation of rules given our highly vaccinated population.”

Clive Wratten, chief executive of the Business Travel Association, said: “It is imperative that the government backs-up these measures with a robust plan for future variants that does not mean closing our borders and strangling our sector once more.”

Manchester Airports Group’s chief executive, Charlie Cornish, said: “The removal of these temporary measures is important recognition that travel restrictions should not remain in place if they no longer help prevent the spread of the virus.

“We look forward to working with Government on a roadmap for the removal of all remaining restrictions, in order to help our prized aviation sector enjoy a full recovery.”