There are also hints in Thursday’s national press headlines (16 September) of what may be to come with the latest – and potentially final – update to the UK’s traffic light regime as we know it, which is due on Thursday.
Elsewhere, it is reported the travel industry could face a potentially expensive headache over a Brexit passport rule interpretation.
Here are all the latest headlines concerning travel on Thursday 16 September.
Pre-departure tests to be scrapped ‘this week’
Ministers will announce later this week that the double jabbed will no longer need to take a Covid test before entering England. Vaccinated travellers entering England will be subject to lighter testing requirements as the UK government seeks to boost the travel industry ahead of state support ending this month. (Financial Times)
PCR tests ‘to be scrapped in time for half-term’
The government is understood to favour scrapping pre-departure tests and PCR testing for travellers who are double jabbed. Ministers expected to finalise the plans at a Cabinet Covid-O committee meeting on Thursday or Friday to ensure changes are in place for the October half-term break. (The Telegraph)
Operators and airlines face claims over Brexit passport rules
Thousands of travellers are set to claim compensation after wrongly being denied trips to Europe. Operators and carriers have followed the government’s incorrect interpretation of EU passport validity, leading to travellers mistakenly being denied boarding. (The Independent)
Caribbean countries ‘at risk’ of being added to red list
Jamaica, Grenada and Nigeria could be moved onto the red list today, according to a data expert. Jamaica is on the amber list, but the FCDO advises against all but essential travel. The Maldives may be removed from the red list, but Turkey looks set to remain on it. (Sky News)
US plans new system for international travel
The US is a developing a new system for international travel that will include procedures like contact tracing. The White House does not plan to immediately relax travel restrictions because of Delta variant cases but is considering vaccination requirements for foreign nationals. (Sky News)
Keep flying to cut carbon, minister says
A government minister has angered scientists and environmentalists by claiming people need to keep flying to help cut carbon emissions. Rachel Maclean said the aviation sector needed the "confidence in its future" and that the government had no plans to try to reduce demand for flights. She argued cleaner airliners would never be invented if people stopped flying. (The Independent)
