Holland-Kaye joins Shapps in Government statement

It was nearly 20:00 when the Department for Transport (DfT) finally updated the travel watch list last Thursday.

There were no surprises, with Malta, Madeira, the Balearic Islands, and several Caribbean islands being added to the Green list but only Malta escaping a question mark and a possible quick return to amber.

Transport Minister Grant Shapps followed the Government line stating that “It’s right that we continue with this cautious approach, to protect public health and the vaccine rollout as our top priority, while ensuring that our route out of the international travel restrictions is sustainable.”

In his statement he sought the support of Heathrow boss John Holland-Kaye who added on the DfT press release: “It is very positive news that ministers are following the science and that fully vaccinated people will be able to travel safely without quarantine later this summer.”

Others were not so sure.

Tim Alderslade spoke on behalf of the airlines.  “A vague commitment to ‘next month’ is nothing like ambitious enough – Ministers need to grasp this and decide one way or another. With the domestic economy opening up from 19 July why does travel have to wait? They have the tools and the data to do it immediately and there is no time to lose for a sector on its knees.”

Huw Merryman, Chair of Parliament’s Transport Select Committee took a middle view. “These changes are a move in the right direction. The additions to the green list offer more potential for quarantine-free holidays for UK travellers. But like an oasis just out of reach – travel to more than 150 countries on the amber list is still unnecessarily difficult.”

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-transport

Index/Home page
 

OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Chris Pocock, Uxbridge, UK

Holland-Kaye wants to cosy up to government, trying to retain its support for the Third Runway.

Susan Strong, Kensington

Strange that Holland Kaye’s name appeared on a Government press release. Who made the first contact? It must have been Whitehall craving support.