Airports in the UK had the busiest day of the pandemic. On May 17, international travel restrictions were lifted and tourist flights resumed from the UK. Many passengers eager for the holidayă they arrived at Heathrow Airport - west London - and Gatwick Airport - West Sussex - starting at 6am. It also entered into force today "The traffic light system imposed by Great Britain".
The five busiest airports in the UK - Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester and Luton - are expected to operate more than 124 flights to the "yellow list" countries, including 23 flights to Spain. Previously, people risked a fine of £ 5.000 for travel abroad without a reasonable excuse, but now people are allowed to go on holiday for the first time this year.
Despite this, it will still be difficult for the British to travel abroad, as the green list is very short. Most countries, including popular European holiday attractions, such as France and Spain, remain on the yellow list, which means that visitors must self-isolate for a period of 10 days when returning to the UK. The 10 days can be reduced to 5, but additional tests will be paid.
Travel restrictions have been lifted, and UK airports have had the busiest day of the pandemic.
Also from May 17 - "the rule of six" has been replaced.
- Residents of two households can meet in public places - the rule of six applied in pubs and restaurants
- Cinemas, museums and hotels will reopen. It will be possible to organize shows and sporting events - although the social distance will be maintained
- 10.000 spectators will be allowed access to outdoor events, such as stadium football matches.
- The limit will increase to 30 people. They will be able to attend weddings, receptions, funerals and other such events.
The CEO of British Airways and the Director of London Heathrow Airport have called on the British government to open more routes for travel, including to the United States, and to simplify flight verification procedures. "We call on the government to help people plan their holidays in advance by publishing a list of countries that are expected to be on the green list for the 2021 summer season." said Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye.
The two requested that fully vaccinated people not be required to take a COVID-19 test when returning from a low-risk country and that a PCR test should be sufficient for those who are not vaccinated. Multiple COVID-19 test requirements may cost more than flying for some people. The various restrictions imposed by the United Kingdom also prevent a relaunch of the tourism industry.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that this tough system will remain in place in the coming months. The UK has had low infection rates due in large part to the success of the vaccination program, but concerns are growing about a new strain of the virus that could spread rapidly. This is the first virus identified in India.