The travel industry was dealt a hammer blow on Thursday as Portugal, the only mainstream holiday country on the green list, was downgraded to amber.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps cited fears over “a mutation of the Delta variant”, the virus mutation wreaking havoc in India, for plunging Portugal into the amber category, joining most of Europe. The mutation is linked to Nepal.
The decision was made by the government after an “almost doubling” in the country’s coronavirus positive test rate and the discovery of 68 cases of the Indian variant, including some with a mutation previously seen in Nepal.
Holidaymakers in the Atlantic nation now face a scramble home before the 8 June deadline.
No other countries joined the green list, while seven were added to the red list.
Airlines including easyJet and British Airways have put on extra flights and bigger aircraft to bring holidaymakers home before the amber list deadline.
One slim ray of hope came from France, which announced that, from 9 June, fully vaccinated British holidaymakers will be allowed to enter the country, with no requirement to quarantine. However, France remains on Britain’s amber list, necessitating a 10-day quarantine and two PCR tests for all inbound travellers to the UK.
