British Airways has cancelled hundreds of flights scheduled for this summer as ministers remain in talks over an extended red list ahead of a £5,000 ban on overseas travel from Monday.
The airline today cancelled trips scheduled to depart in July and August, despite Boris Johnson's roadmap suggesting holidays should return on May 17.
It comes a day after health minister Lord Bethell warned the entirety of Europe could be put on the travel 'red list' - meaning passengers would have to quarantine in a hotel on arrival.
Lord Bethell said: “The possibility is that we will have to red-list all of our European neighbours. But that would be done with huge regret because we are a trading nation.”
However Matt Hancock today insisted the Government has “no plans” for such drastic action at this stage. When questioned about May 17, he cautioned it was still too early to give summer holidays the green light.
It comes just days before a £5,000 fine is due to come into force for those who break the travel ban.
British Airways said the cancellations are a routine scale-back of flights to reflect the view of the airline trade body (IATA) which estimates that foreign travel will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023.
The pared-back routes include fewer flights to Italy, the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden.
Social media users also complained that their flights had been cancelled by easyJet, including flights to France at the end of May.
Under Boris Johnson's roadmap, foreign holidays were pencilled to resume on May 17.
However people are being advised to book with caution after he warned a third wave from Europe would almost certainly “wash up on our shores”.
It comes amid tightened restrictions abroad with Germany now in an 'emergency brake' lockdown.
Thirty-five countries are on the UK’s red list, including the whole of South America, southern Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Portugal was on the list but was removed last week.
Speaking of plans to potentially extend the red list, Matt Hancock said: “we don't have any plans to do that”.
Hancock told BBC Breakfast: “I entirely understand people's yearning to get away and have a summer holiday, and we're looking at that question right now as part of the global travel taskforce, which will report in the middle of next month.
“The earliest that will take any steps will be May 17 but, obviously, we're taking a cautious approach because we want any openings that we make to be irreversible.”
He said more details on the way forward would be published around April 12.
“Until then, I'm afraid, as people have got used to over the last year, frankly it is wait and see.
“Because we'll only make steps that we think are safe but, on the other hand, we do understand, of course I understand, how people want to be able to get away in the summer, especially after the last year that we've all had.”
The Government's gradual easing of lockdown will be done in four stages - March 29, April 12, May 17 and June 21, if the data allows.
British Airways said: “We are sorry that, like other airlines, due to the current coronavirus pandemic and global travel restrictions we are operating a reduced and dynamic schedule.”
The £5,000 fine, set out in legislation laid in the Commons yesterday, is on top of the previously announced £200 fine for not filling out a travel declaration form on reasons for leaving the country.
