Yorkshire airline sees spike in bookings after Covid travel restrictions are relaxed

A Yorkshire-based airline has seen a significant increase in bookings after the Government announced vaccinated travellers arriving in the UK will not have to quarantine or test for Covid-19 from next month.

Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2, said the announcement is a “game changer" and bookings for holidays and flights rose 30 per cent, compared to the previous week.

The new rules will come into effect for people who have had at least two jabs of an approved vaccine and under 18s from February 11 - ahead of the half term school holiday.

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Jet2, which is based in Leeds, said bookings for Spain, Italy, Portugal and the Canary Islands are “selling strongly”, but there has also been “enormous growth” in demand for trips to Greece, Turkey and Cyprus.

Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2, said the Government announcement is a “game changer" and bookings for holidays and flights rose 30 per cent, compared to the previous week.Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2, said the Government announcement is a “game changer" and bookings for holidays and flights rose 30 per cent, compared to the previous week.
Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2, said the Government announcement is a “game changer" and bookings for holidays and flights rose 30 per cent, compared to the previous week.

Mr Heapy said: “Yesterday’s travel update is a real game-changer for the millions of people who simply want to get away to enjoy their well-deserved holidays.

“It means vaccinated customers can once again book and travel on the normal, hassle-free holidays that they know and love. We applaud the Government for taking meaningful action to end a set of measures which were not only unnecessary but also ineffective in tackling the spread of the Omicron variant.

“This should now represent a permanent end to such restrictions, and we know customers will celebrate that news.”

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He added: “Before yesterday’s announcement demand was already strong, however bookings have jumped by another 30 per cent when compared with the previous week, demonstrating just how much of a game-changer the removal of all testing is for fully vaccinated holidaymakers.

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“With international travel starting to look like it did before the pandemic, customers are jumping at the chance to book their flights and holidays.”

Speaking earlier this week, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the policy of post-arrival lateral flow tests had “outlived its usefulness”, and the rule change would help the aviation industry to “take back to the skies”.

He told MPs: "Passengers who do not qualify as fully vaccinated will no longer be required to do a day eight test after arrival, or indeed to self-isolate.

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“They will still need to fill out a passenger locator form to demonstrate proof of a negative Covid test taken two days before they travel and they must still take a post-arrival PCR test.

“This is a proportionate system that moves us a step closer to normality while maintaining vital public health protections.”

He said the Government intends to move away from “blanket border measures” to a “more sophisticated and targeted global surveillance system”.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the rules could be lifted because the country was “moving through the Omicron wave”.