Aviation sector calls for end of traffic light regime

The comments from Airlines UK and Manchester Airports Group (MAG) follow the latest traffic light system update on Thursday (26 August), which saw Canada, Denmark and Switzerland among the seven destinations to move from amber to green and Thailand and Montenegro added to the red list.

Airlines UK chief executive Tim Alderslade said families were having to "look over their shoulders for rule changes, and pay through the nose for tests". His comments come as pressure mounts on the government to address the "rip-off" PCR travel testing market.

"This cycle needs to change," said Alderslade. "Despite nearly 80% of over-16s being fully vaccinated, the UK remains an outlier, with only a small number of green destinations making international travel from the UK more expensive, burdensome and uncertain compared to our neighbours, despite most travel abroad being no riskier than our unrestricted travel within the UK.

"As has already happened across Europe, it’s time for a more proportionate system where tests are dropped for the fully vaccinated and from destinations where Covid risks are low, with tougher measures targeted at a small number of high risk countries."