In an effort to prevent new strains of COVID-19 entering the UK, the British Government announced it was going to scrap its ‘corridor’ scheme from 18 January, and planned to keep this ruling in place until at least 15 February.
For those entering the UK, they must provide a negative test result from within the last 72 hours and quarantine for 10 days, or five if they take another test at their own expense and it also comes back negative.
Back in the summer of 2020, after months of lockdown, when travel finally became possible again, the UK’s regional airline market had high hopes of a ‘bounce-back’ recovery in that year after what had been a devastating time for the industry. The first holidays were in the UK and were back on the agenda, and then trips abroad became a reality once more, with the government removing travel restrictions on a sizeable list of countries, that British travellers could visit.
The government’s ‘travel corridor’ approach removed the mandatory 10-day self-isolation period on return to the UK – and only for English residents. For Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the rules were different again.
The aim was to allow smoother travel between countries that had lower or similar rates of infection, the so called ‘R number’. Travellers entering England from a ‘low-risk’ country wouldn’t face a quarantine, while those travelling from a ‘higher-risk’ nation were still allowed to enter, but had to self-isolate on arrival. No matter where they came from, all had to provide contact details on arrival.
But, despite the preventative measures, it hasn’t proved enough, and further lockdowns have been introduced across the UK. The list of countries that the British Government is advising not to visit is growing steadily. But there is now a light at the end of the tunnel. Media outlets are wasting no time in reporting the high numbers of vaccinations taking place, and personally speaking, like many, I breathed a sigh of relief when my mum received her appointment date for the first dose of the vaccine.
We may well be in the thick of the fight against COVID-19 right now, but a better summer is looking possible and I for one have promised myself a few to trips to Europe again, in some small way to support Europe’s regional carriers – and I keep my promises.
