Portugal looks set to be axed from the green list in the latest update to the traffic light system for travel, stymying the plans of many British holidaymakers with breaks booked to the sun.
The system classifies countries as red, amber or green based on their level of risk in relation to Covid-19.
The initial green list, revealed on 7 May by the transport secretary, categorised just 12 nations as “safe”, including Portugal, Gibraltar, Iceland and Israel. The lists are expected to be confirmed on 3 June, and any changes would take effect from 4am on 10 June.
The amber list, to which travel is discouraged but not illegal, comprises most of Europe. Holidaymakers must self-isolate for 10 days on return and take two post-arrival PCR tests.
Prime minister Boris Johnson warned that the government “would not hesitate” to switch countries between colour bands, if Covid infections started to rise or new variants were found.
The list is set to be reviewed every three weeks, with destinations assigned a colour based on their case numbers, vaccination rates, and prevalence of any virus variants of concern.
Follow live: Green list for travel could be reviewed today
But many holidaymakers were left confused by mixed messages about whether holidays to amber and red countries could still go ahead, or whether they’d be automatically entitled to a refund. Here’s everything you need to know.
Am I allowed to go on holiday to an amber or red list country?
The government is advising against any leisure travel to amber or red list countries. Boris Johnson was forced to reiterate this stance after the environment secretary, George Eustice, said that people were fine to travel to an amber country “to visit friends”.
However, advice is not the same as law. The ban on recreational foreign travel lifted on 17 May – it is no longer illegal to travel to any destination, regardless of whether it’s red, amber or green, without an “essential” reason. Prior to this, travellers had to show proof that their reason for travel was indeed “essential” in order to be allowed to fly, and failure to do so could result in a hefty fine. There are no longer any fines or penalties in place.
The upshot is, while politicians may say Brits shouldn’t be visiting amber list countries on holiday, there’s nothing unlawful about them going ahead – a distinction that many travel companies will be keen to exploit.
Can I get a holiday refund if my destination is on the red or amber list?
As a result of the traffic light restrictions, some package holiday providers will cancel any imminent bookings to red or amber destinations. If they do so, you should be offered the choice of a full refund, credit/voucher or the option to rebook for a later date.
Jet2 has cancelled all holidays and flights up to and including 23 June, for example, with affected customers having their bookings automatically cancelled and refunded.
On The Beach has taken an even more dramatic position, announcing that it was no longer selling holidays for June, July and August.
“Plenty of other travel companies will be more than happy to take your money,” the company said on its website, “even though they’re not sure yet what the additional costs or inconvenience might be. We’re not.
“Basically, there’s too much unknown for us to take new bookings with the confidence that they will go ahead, or for us to know the potential inconvenience or extra costs that customers might face.”
However, not all tour operators and travel agents are automatically cancelling non-green list trips. Tui, the UK’s biggest tour operator, for example, is still running packages to amber list destinations such as the Greek island of Crete.
“We will be travelling to some countries that are classified as amber where borders are open, FCDO advice allows travel and there is no quarantine on arrival in the country that can’t be forgone with a Covid test,” the brand told customers on social media.
The matter has been complicated further by the Foreign Office (FCDO) advice, which does not exactly match up with the traffic light system. Tour operators like Tui will normally cancel holidays to destinations the FCDO advises against travelling to for non-essential reasons. However, it has exempted some destinations from this blanket advisory that are not on the green list, including Spain’s Canary Islands; the Greek islands of Rhodes, Kos, Zante, Corfu and Crete; and Malta.
If you’re booked to go to an amber destination and you no longer feel comfortable holidaying there, check with your travel company what the options are. You may not be able to claim a refund if the provider is going ahead with the trip, but in most cases it should be possible to amend the booking for free.
My holiday provider has cancelled my trip. Now what?
If your provider cancels your package holiday, you are entitled to a full refund, which, once requested, should be reimbursed to you within 14 days. However, as thwarted holidaymakers saw last year, the extraordinary scale of refund requests during the pandemic has frequently led to delays.
The Civil Aviation Authority accepted that it was “very challenging” for airlines to process the volume of claims that occurred at the peak of the crisis, for example.
Some providers may pressure you to accept a voucher instead, but you are legally entitled to a full refund should you want one.
Can I postpone my holiday instead?
Due to the uncertainty facing the travel sector right now, many companies have introduced flexible booking policies, enabling customers to reschedule existing holidays or change the destination, often up until fairly last minute.
Check with your provider or look at the terms of your agreement to see what you’re entitled to.
Airlines, which are usually notoriously inflexible, are also letting customers change their flights at no extra charge in many cases. EasyJet, for example, announced that passengers can change their flights without penalty up until two hours before departure. The policy will be in place until the end of September 2021.
Can I get a refund through my travel insurance?
It’s possible, but very few insurers are offering full protection to travellers who need to cancel their holiday due to Covid-19 restrictions.
However, it’s worth reading the small print on your travel policy to see what options might be available.
