Hopes are also growing that a substantial number of countries will soon be removed from the red list during the next review.
Elsewhere, British Airways’ plans for a short-haul subsidiary at Gatwick could be revived and La Palma’s volcano is becoming “more aggressive”.
Here are the headlines that travel woke up to on Monday (4 October)
Amber list scrapped as travel rules simplified
New simplified travel rules came into force in the UK on Monday (4 October), with the traffic light system replaced by a single red list. Other changes mean fully vaccinated travellers arriving from non-red list countries will no longer have to take a pre-departure test before arriving in the UK. (BBC News/The Guardian)
Dozens of destinations set to come off red list
Travel to dozens of red-list countries is set to be eased later this week when the UK government announces its latest update. Coming off the red list means travellers arriving in the UK will no longer have to go into quarantine for 10 days at a government-organised hotel. (The Times)
British Airways set to reverse decision on scrapping Gatwick flights
The airline could be “close to reversing” its decision to axe short-haul flights from Gatwick. Pilots’ union Balpa, which rejected initial proposals for a new BA short-haul subsidiary at Gatwick, is set to put a revised pay deal from the airline to its members. (Daily Telegraph)
La Palma volcano becomes ‘much more aggressive’
Authorities on the Canary island have warned that the erupting volcano has blown open two new vents sending molten lava streaming towards the sea. They warned the volcano is becoming “more aggressive” and is now sending gas and ash nearly four miles into the air. (The Independent)
Chancellor to announce £500m in job support after furlough
Rishi Sunak is expected to unveil new funding for schemes designed to increase the employment prospects for people seeking jobs, during a speech at the Conservative party conference in Manchester. The move comes after the furlough scheme came to an end last week. (Sky News)
New Zealand brings in more lockdowns as Delta variant spreads
New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to extend the country’s Covid-19 lockdown after introducing more restrictions to stop the spread of the Delta variant beyond Auckland. The city, which has been under lockdown since the middle of August, announced 32 new coronavirus cases on Sunday (3 October). (Daily Mail)
