UK

Why can't those who are fully vaccinated go on holiday without restrictions? asks Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said the British government's “stop, go, stop, go approach to travel is bonkers”.

He told Sky News: “It’s typical of Boris Johnson’s Government just making this stuff up as they go along.

“There is no green list.

“What we keep calling for in the travel industry is, now that we have 80% of the adult population of Britain vaccinated, why can’t those people go on holidays to Portugal and Spain without restrictions? They’re already vaccinated.”

Mr O’Leary said it is “very difficult” for airlines and tourism companies to make plans for the summer.

He told Sky News: “Do we bring more people back from furlough? Do we re-employ them? Do we schedule the flights?

“We can’t schedule the flights and then cancel them within two weeks because we have to pay compensation to customers, so it’s incredibly difficult.

“The airline industry will get through this, but the real challenge is how do you get the rest of London and Britain’s tourism industry back to work because it fundamentally depends on welcoming back European visitors.”

The Government has been criticised for its confusing rules on international travel with different government ministers giving contradicting advice. 

International travel restarted on May 17 as Britons were allowed to travel without essential reasons. 

But countries remain on restrictive lists which determine whether quarantine is required on return. 

Green list countries mean travellers do not have to quarantine on return if a Covid test comes back negative. 

Amber lists countries require people to fill out passenger locator forms, take tests and quarantine at home for ten days. 

Finally, red list countries will have passengers quarantining in a government hotel, paid for by themselves, for ten days.

Boris Johnson 
Boris Johnson  Boris Johnson