In addition to Portugal's downgrade, seven countries Afghanistan, Bahrain, Costa Rica, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Trinidad and Tobago have been added to the red list with all changes coming into effect at 4am on Tuesday 8 June.
The decision to move Portugal - which includes Madeira and the Azores to the amber list follows increased official concern over the spread of variants of coronavirus, including a mutation of the Delta variant, which posed a risk of holidaymakers and visitors bringing it back into the UK if not required to quarantine.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "The public has always known travel will be different this year and we must continue to take a cautious approach to reopening international travel in a way that protects public health and the vaccine rollout.While we are making great progress in the UK with the vaccine rollout, we continue to say that the public should not travel to destinations outside the green list."
The news has not been welcomed by airlines and holiday companies, budget carrier easyJet said it was shocked by the decision and would be a huge blow to those already on holiday in Portugal as well as those that had booked breaks away there in forthcoming weeks.
The airline's CEO Johan Lundgren said: "With Portuguese rates similar to those in the UK it simply isn’t justified by the science."
However, there has been an almost doubling in the COVID-19 test positivity rate in Portugal since the traffic light system was first introduced. Far exceeding the ONS estimated national positivity rate in the UK. More significantly, according to data published on GISAID, 68 cases of the Delta variant of concern have been identified in Portugal, including cases of the Delta variant with an additional, potentially detrimental, mutation.
The Department for Transport said, "The government’s priority is to protect public health, and it has therefore decided to act quickly to make this change. All classification changes have been decided by ministers, informed by the latest data and analysis by the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) and wider public health factors."
Lundgren remained angry at the lack of additions to the top tier, green list: "And to add no more countries to the Green list when most of Europe’s infection rates are on a downward trend and many places with low infection rates below that of the UK, such as the Balearics with a current rate of 33 in 100,000 and Malta, with just 12 in 100,000, this makes no sense. Especially when domestic travel is allowed within the UK, despite a number of cities having infection rates 20 times greater than much of Europe."
Andrew Flintham, Managing Director for TUI UK was equally scathing for the UK Government's attempt to save lives. "This latest announcement is another step back for our industry. After promises that the Global Travel Taskforce would result in a clear framework, removing the damaging flip-flopping we all endured last summer, the Government decision to move Portugal straight from green to amber will do untold damage to customer confidence. We were reassured that a green watch list would be created and a weeks’ notice would be given so travellers wouldn’t have to rush back home. They have failed on this promise." The latest changes come into effect on 8th June at 4am, allowing most package holidaymakers to get back home before having to quarantine upon return.
Rather than telling customers how TUI would get them home or help them find another holiday, Flintham continued his attack on the UK's stance. "Unlike other European countries and despite multiple requests, the government has refused to be transparent about the data requirements for green, amber and red destinations." he said, adding: "We must see the methodology so we can help our customers and plan our operations accordingly. There are destinations around the world with little or no covid-19 cases and good vaccination rates, so we need to understand why these remain on the amber list.”
Following the Government announcement, leading leisure firm Jet2 holidays and Jet2 flights were far more practical and adopted a caring attitude towards its customers, informing them that it would put back the start date to holiday and flight programme until 1st July. Plus because of Turkeys position on the red list, those holidays wouldn't start until 22nd July. The firm confirmed it would offer a full refund to all those whose holidays had been affected by the delay in restarting.
The UK government also announced that as part of a limited trial, from 8 June, direct flights will be permitted to England from countries on the ‘red list’ that were previously subject to flight bans, so long as they arrive at dedicated terminals at Heathrow and Birmingham airports.
The requirement for these direct flights to arrive at dedicated facilities will help keep more red list passengers separate from others, helping to ensure they are processed as safely and efficiently as possible and then travel straight to their managed quarantine hotel and reduce queues at the border.
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