British travel industry urges swifter reopening of sector

LONDON (AP) — The U.K.’s travel industry held a day of action Wednesday, pressing the British government to allow more quarantine-free travel and provide cash-strapped businesses with much-needed financial support.

Hundreds of industry workers, including travel agents, pilots and cabin crew from airlines such as British Airways and easyJet, gathered outside the parliament in London. There were other protests in Edinburgh and in Belfast.

Derek Jones, head of luxury travel firm Kuoni, said the outbound travel sector has been “decimated" by the coronavirus pandemic, as well as by the government’s “haphazard” response.

“We are united in one message today," he said. "We want to see the safe reopening of international travel alongside targeted financial support for businesses which have not been able to trade for well over a year.”

According to industry body ABTA, an estimated 195,000 jobs have been lost across the sector and many more remain at risk.

One demand from the sector is for the government to expand the number of countries that are on its so-called “green list,” which allows quarantine-free travel on return to England. None of the popular holiday destinations in Europe are on the list, which numbers just 11 countries and territories.

“The evidence and data exists for government to make transparent policy decisions and the forthcoming review must provide clarity on how and when restrictions can be safely reduced for travel between low risk countries and for vaccinated and recovered passengers,” said Dale Keller, chief executive of the Board of Airline Representatives U.K.

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