Ryanair boss slams ‘monstrously stupid’ travel restrictions

• Amber list holidaymakers less likely to catch Covid

• Travel to Italy: latest Covid rules and practical guidance

• What the latest travel announcement means for your autumn and winter holiday

• Unexpected European holiday hotspots hiding in plain sight

• Sign up to the Telegraph Travel newsletter

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has attacked the Government’s traffic light rules and called for a simplified system for foreign travel.

Speaking to The Independent, Mr O’Leary said: “You need to have a very simple system: if you’re double vaccinated, no restrictions. If you’re not double vaccinated, get a PCR test.

“This monstrously stupid system, that requires passengers from Europe to be double vaccinated and get a PCR test, doesn’t help deal with the Covid problem,” he added.

The comments add to renewed calls from the travel industry to re-examine testing protocols. Aito Director, Neal Josephides, has said of the current rules: “Rather than planned and logical, it’s as if primary school children were using playdough to decide how testing should operate, without the senior-level intellectual and practical input one would expect for such an important matter.”

The calls come as NHS figures have revealed that people who holiday in England have a higher chance of testing positive than those going to overseas destinations. Data showed that the test positivity rate for England stood at 1.36 per cent for the three weeks to August 11, compared with 1.3 per cent for the 500,000 holidaymakers who jetted to amber countries and were tested on their return.

Scroll down for the latest updates.

04:41 PM

Today's key travel headlines

• Ryanair boss slams ‘monstrously stupid’ travel restrictions
• Benidorm safer than Blackpool, with amber list holidaymakers less likely to catch Covid

• Phuket Sandbox in jeopardy as red-list Thailand cases surge

• Antigua bans unvaccinated travellers from hotels

• UK's largest travel agency returns to profit

• Portugal loosens entry restrictions for UK travellers

Catch-up with the rest tomorrow and join us tomorrow for more travel news.

04:26 PM

For many, the 'staycation' summer was a washout

The bumper year for domestic breaks saw us flock to Cornwall and Cumbria. Some discovered new corners of the nation. However, for many "UK tourism is not working".

Read the full story.

03:59 PM

South America takes its first steps on the way to reopening international travel

South America takes its first steps on the way to reopening international travel – Chris Moss reviews the changes.

Latin Americans are known for their passionate impulses and privileging emotion over reason. But the official approach to reopening to foreign visitors – including from neighbouring countries – has been guarded right across the continent. Nonetheless, following 18 months of some of the strictest social measures seen since the era of military dictatorships, Southern Cone nations are easing controls – just in time for their 2021/2 summer season.

Read the full story.

03:36 PM

Vaccine passport extends to train, planes and ferries in Italy

Italy broadened usage of Green Pass health documents on Wednesday, making them obligatory for anyone travelling on high-speed trains, planes, ferries and inter-regional coaches.

The Green Pass is a digital or paper certificate that shows whether someone has received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose, has tested negative or has recently recovered from the virus.

Prime Minister Mario Draghi introduced the pass earlier in the summer to try to prevent infections and encourage people to get vaccinated. It was initially needed to enter many cultural and leisure venues, but its scope has gradually been widened.

The scheme has triggered protests by some Italians who say it tramples on freedoms, and opponents had vowed to block railway traffic on Wednesday to show their dissent.

Some 70 per cent of all Italians over the age of 12 are now fully vaccinated

03:17 PM

Demand for rail travel back to two-thirds of pre-Covid levels

Demand for rail travel has reached two-thirds of normal levels for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic, new figures show.

Provisional Department for Transport data reveals the number of journeys made on Britain's mainline rail network on Monday August 23 was at 66 per cent compared with the equivalent date in 2019.

This is up from 56 per cent three weeks earlier.

Industry body the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) said the rise is due to increased leisure travel, with millions of people embarking on domestic breaks and day trips instead of foreign holidays this summer.

Jacqueline Star, chief executive of RDG, said:

03:08 PM

‘30 days left to save struggling travel firms’, warns WTTC

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has sounded the alarm on the state of the travel industry, warning that the end of the furlough scheme (on September 30) means there is just one month to save struggling businesses.

Julia Simpson, WTTC president and chief executive, said:

02:54 PM

Comment: Forget the glamour of air travel, the post-Covid future is no-frills flying

Budget airlines are ramping up aircraft orders in a battle to dominate the post-pandemic skies, writes Ben Marlow.

Read the full story here.

02:44 PM

Scotland to introduce vaccine certificates for nightclubs and live events

The Scottish Government plans to introduce vaccine passports for entry to nightclubs and larger live events later this month, subject to Scottish Parliament approval, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

The First Minister told MSPs: "We consider that to help protect individuals and the country as a whole and reduce the risk of further restrictions being necessary those over 18 years old, who are eligible for vaccination, should be required to show they have received both doses of the vaccine before entry to the premises and events I mentioned earlier."

She added: "We are also very aware of the need to take account of people who – for good reason – cannot get fully vaccinated with both doses of the vaccine. So for example we envisage that children and people with particular medical conditions would be exempt."

In a briefing this afternoon, Ms Sturgeon continued: "The introduction of Covid certificates – even in the fairly limited circumstances that I have set out above – is a significant move, and not one we would ever take lightly."

The vaccine passports would apply to the following venues:

• Nightclubs and adult entertainment venues

• Unseated indoor live events, with more than 500 people in the audience

• Unseated outdoor live events, with more than 4,000 people in the audience

• Any event, of any nature, which has more than 10,000 people in attendance.

Read more on our coronavirus live blog.

02:39 PM

Portugal loosens entry restrictions for UK travellers

British holidaymakers heading to Portugal now only need a negative Covid test to travel to the mainland. Previously, all adults had to be fully vaccinated to enter.

Children under 12 will not need to show evidence of a negative test. The new rules will come into effect today.

Earlier today, data from Visit Portugal revealed that the country was most visited by British travellers in the first half of this year. UK travellers made more trips to the country than even the neighbouring Spanish did.

02:16 PM

Comment: If the West End is to thrive, it needs a slice of the Big Apple’s razzmatazz

Broadway has a razor-sharp plan to lure punters back, and the discipline to match. What can London’s theatres learn – asks Dominic Cavendish.

Read on, here

01:59 PM

Ryanair attacks British Airways’ ‘insane’ budget airline plans

British Airways’ plans to launch a new budget airline at Gatwick have been branded “the definition of insanity” by the boss of Ryanair.

Michael O’Leary shrugged off the threat of a new rival launched by the UK flag carrier as it announced 500 new jobs across British airports.

British Airways has made multiple attempts to run budget airlines, the most high profile of which was Go, a low cost carrier that was sold to private equity in 2001 and later to easyJet.

Mr O’Leary said: “Like Go and like all the ones before it, it would fail because BA has no commitment to low fares.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.”

Read the full story.

01:53 PM

France starts Covid booster shot campaign

France on Wednesday started administering booster shots of Covid-19 vaccine to people over 65 and those with underlying health conditions as the delta variant spreads in the country.

It is the first big EU country to introduce widespread booster shots, and several other European countries are expected to follow suit.

People in France can get the shot on condition a minimum six-month period has passed since they got fully vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

In terms of travel, some have raised concerns that booster shots could, in time, change what is considered 'fully vaccinated.'

01:41 PM

Anti-lockdown protests sweep Australia

Australian police have been injured amid fierce anti-lockdown protests sweeping the country's eastern states.

More than 150 people were arrested and more than 500 were fined after thousands of protesters held more than 70 demonstrations across New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland over the weekend.

Many protesters expressed anger about the continued extensions to lockdowns in the country as it struggles to contain the delta variant of coronavirus.

Sydney has entered a tenth week of lockdown, Canberra has extended its shutdown for a fortnight and in Melbourne, Australia's second largest city, lockdown was on Tuesday extended by three more weeks

01:25 PM

Qatar Airways ramps up UK flights

Qatar Airways has increased its number of flights from Edinburgh and Manchester airports “to meet pent-up demand following the lifting of travel restrictions.”

From today, services from Edinburgh will increase to three flights a week, moving to four next month. Manchester services will ramp up from three flights a week to 10, then 14 flights a week from the start of October.

01:07 PM

Why Italy’s ‘immortal island’ is more appealing than ever

Packed with centenarians, and with a bafflingly low Covid count, there could be something in the water in Sardinia, writes Sarah Marshall.

Read the full story.

12:51 PM

Portugal lifts Covid-19 travel ban on tourists from Brazil

Portugal said on Wednesday it would allow entry for tourists from Brazil, nearly 18 months after it imposed a ban on non-essential travel from the Portuguese-speaking South American nation to stem the spread of coronavirus.

Although Brazilians, who make up Portugal's biggest expatriate community, were allowed access for reasons such as work, family or health, the lifting of the tourism ban has been long-awaited.

Portugal is now open to tourists from the European Union who present the bloc's digital COVID-19 certificate, as well as the United States, from where visitors must show a negative test result on arrival.

Travellers from Brazil now no longer need to quarantine but must provide a negative COVID-19 test. The same rule applies to visitors from Britain, according to the government.

12:35 PM

Wales mulls ending ban on private tests for travellers

Arrivals to Wales could be permitted to use private tests instead of testing through the NHS when travelling to the country from abroad

Under current rules, they must use NHS tests charged at £68 each or risk a £1,00 fine.

However, a BBC Wales investigation found Welsh travellers have been using private PCR tests without facing any consequences.

A Welsh government spokesperson said the policy is being reviewed.

12:14 PM

No tougher Swiss coronavirus curbs for now despite rising cases

Switzerland will not tighten curbs on public life for now despite rising coronavirus cases, the government said on Wednesday, reserving the right to make people show a COVID-status certificate to access many indoor spaces.

The government had signalled such a move last week when it ordered millions more doses of COVID-19 vaccine for possible use as booster shots, amid concerns that a rising number of serious cases could soon overwhelm hospitals.

"The number of hospital admissions of coronavirus patients remains high, but has not increased in the last week. Therefore, the (cabinet) has not yet decided (on widening use of certificates) today," a government statement said on Wednesday.

It would decide on measures to relieve hospitals "at any time should this become necessary", it added.

The certificate provides proof of vaccination, recovery from infection or a negative test result.

12:01 PM

The country-house hotel that lets you drive a Morgan for a day

Fiona Duncan gets behind the wheel of a Morgan Plus 4 at Surrey’s Beaverbrook. Just don’t ask how she got out of it

Read the full story.

11:54 AM

Update: Have Heathrow queues improved?

Have the lengthy queues that were troubling passengers arriving at Heathrow for the past three days started to ease? According to Twitter user Will Yates, lines were moving "efficiently" today.

He paints a different picture to those arriving yesterday, who complained about lengthly queues at the border and a lack of social distancing in the arrivals hall.

Travellers took to social media to share their experience. One passenger called the queues “shameful treatment of families,” while another called on the airport to “try harder.”

11:33 AM

19 unexpected European holiday hotspots hiding in plain sight

We all know Athens, the Algarve and the Alps – but what about Attica, the Alentejo and Appenzell?

The getaway suggestions here are alternative takes on all-time greats – locations that, though firmly on the map in countries we love, have long been overlooked. None is too far away, but all are places you might not normally consider for a holiday or a long weekend.

Moreover, they should all – from unheralded French departments to Balkan canyons and islands “hidden” in the Danish archipelago – offer something refreshingly different, even as green and amber continue to flicker. After a year of lockdowns, restrictions and fear, we could all use some of that.

Find the full list here.

11:20 AM

Travel to Italy: latest Covid rules and practical guidance once you are there

Italy has dropped quarantine rules for fully vaccinated Britons making the amber-list country an appealing. option for a late-summer or autumn escape.

Get up to speed with Covid rules and guidance for holidaymakers here.

11:10 AM

Effort to vaccinate the world is 'massively too small', says Sage member

Professor Andrew Hayward, of University College London's Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care and the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group, said the effort to vaccinate the world is "massively too small" and will have a "huge drain" on the global economy.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Earlier in the year, the G7 met and came up with a pledge of one billion vaccine donations towards the global vaccination scheme.

"Now that sounds a lot of vaccines, but actually, we need more like 11 billion, so it's only a small percentage of what is needed to protect the rest of the world."

He said at the moment 75% of the vaccines that have been distributed around the world have gone to about 10% of the countries, adding that some continents, like in Africa for example, has only around 2% of their population vaccinated and "remain extremely vulnerable, and just can't really return to normal".

Prof Hayward said: "This lack of global vaccination coverage will continue to have a huge drain on the global economy.

"It's estimated that that could cost the global economy somewhere like nine trillion dollars."

10:52 AM

Wizz Air to require cabin crew Covid vaccination

Wizz Air has announced that all its flight and cabin crew will be required to be vaccinated against Covid from December 1.

The budget airline says it is implementing the policy as "part of its commitment to protecting the health and safety of its passengers and crews, as well as to supporting smooth and continued operations of its flights in the long term."

Wizz Air is among the first European airlines to announce this policy, which its says will be implemented in line with the support of local authorities and health institutions across its bases. However, the carrier did say that regular antigen/PCR testing could be used instead of vaccination in "special cases."

József Váradi, CEO of Wizz Air Group, said:

10:39 AM

British travellers prove biggest market for Portugal

British holidaymakers have been flocking to Portugal since travel restrictions lifted and new statistics have revealed that the country welcomed more UK visitors than any other nationality, during the first six months of this year.

Between January and June, 604,568 nights were booked by UK visitors to Portugal, including islands such as Madeira. Spanish visitors made up the second biggest market, with 417,271 nights.

In terms of revenues, UK visitors spent €371.5million during the same period, second only to the French who spent €443.9million. A total of €2.4billion was spent by paying visitors in the first half of 2021.

Portugal was one of the first countries to initially go green on the UK Government’s traffic lights system when it was launched in May 2021.

Claudia Miguel, Director of Visit Portugal in the UK, said: “We are pleased that so many UK visitors continue to choose Portugal and its islands for their leisure and business travel. These statistics prove that Portugal remains one of the most popular European destinations for food and drink, culture and heritage and, of course, winter sun.”

10:27 AM

UK's largest travel agency returns to profit

Hays Travel has announced it made a profit in August despite ongoing travel restrictions.

Hays Chair, Dame Irene Hays, told Travel Weekly: “It wasn’t the summer we wanted, and we’re nowhere near where we were in 2019, but August has been stronger for us.”

“The number of people we’ve sent on ‘seacations’ who’ve never cruised before, have tried one and come back and booked a cruise for next year or later this year, is massive,” she added.

10:10 AM

Why I’ll always start my holiday with a five-day quarantine now

I was devastated that our holiday in Italy would begin with a quarantine, but it ended up being the most relaxing break I’ve had in years, writes Lou Barraclough.

Read the full story here.

09:53 AM

Spotlight on: USA

All eyes on are when transatlantic travel might resume for Britons – with further doubt cast yesterday following the removal of the US from the EU’s safe list.

What’s the current situation across the Pond? Let’s take a look at the latest figures.

09:35 AM

Italy’s ‘green pass’ for domestic travel comes into force

From today, travellers in Italy must show a ‘green pass’ on long-distance domestic transport, which shows they have been vaccinated, recently tested negative or recovered from Covid.

The rule applies to domestic flights, train travel between regions and most sea travel. Local transport is exempt from the rule, which was announced by the Italian government when daily case loads started rising earlier this summer.

A green pass is already required for those wanting to dine indoors or attend concerts.

09:19 AM

Five obstacles standing in the way of transatlantic travel

The USA's irrational and fear-based travel policies continue to put the brakes on travel from Europe, writes Rosemary Behan.

• A domestic healthcare crisis

• Outdated legislation

• A risk-averse approach

• The US's removal from the EU's 'safe list'

• A lack of leadership and transparency.

Read the full story.

09:09 AM

Antigua bans unvaccinated travellers from hotels

Antigua and Barbuda has announced that only fully vaccinated travellers will be allowed to stay in its hotels from October 1.

Furthermore, from now until at least the end of September, all visitors older than five must provide evidence of a recent negative PCR test, even if they are fully vaccinated.

The strict new measures aim to curb an uptick in Covid cases in the Caribbean islands.

08:48 AM

Virgin Australia expects some international routes to return by Christmas

Virgin Australia's chief executive, Jayne Hrdlicka, has said that the airline expects to be flying to some overseas destinations by Christmas as the country's vaccine rollout speeds up.

She said: “We get the domestic borders open and we test and learn with international borders.

“I don’t know what we are waiting for – if we’re 75 per cent vaccinated, we should be getting Australia open and allowing loved ones to reconnect, allowing Australians to get back to a way of life that we have cherished for a long time and worked hard to earn the right for.”

Ms Hrdlicka emphasised that vaccination was Australia's route out of severe restrictions.

“Vaccination is our way back to the things we love and the people we miss, and most importantly, it’s the only way we can protect the lives and livelihoods of all Australians.

"We are all in this together and the sooner we are vaccinated to the thresholds required by government, the sooner we can return to a quality way of life that includes travelling freely within our own country and abroad,” she added.

The government has hinted that travel restrictions will ease when 80 per cent of the population are fully vaccinated. So far this figure is 34.4 per cent.

08:26 AM

Which countries are on the green list?

The latest traffic light changes came into effect on Monday. If you're planning a trip abroad, the first leg of your pre-trip research will be to check which category your chosen destination falls under.

See the full green list, amber list and red list.

08:24 AM

Leading tour operator announces vaccine mandate for travellers

The Travel Corporation has announced that all adult guests on its escorted tours must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

The company, whose brands include Trafalgar, Contiki, Costsaver, Insight Vacations, Luxury Gold and AAT Kings, will require travellers to have completed their vaccination programme at least 14 days before travel.

Trafalgar chief executive Gavin Tollman wrote in Travel Weekly:

07:59 AM

Comment: 'Stop inviting me to your weddings, I’d rather go on holiday'

It is nonsensical that superspreader events have been allowed this summer, while restrictions on relatively low-risk travel have endured, writes Emma Beaumont.

Read the full story.

07:28 AM

Australia: Melbourne lockdown extended

Australian authorities have extended the lockdown in Melbourne for another three weeks, as they shift their focus to rapid vaccination drives and move away from a suppression strategy to bring cases down to zero.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews flagged a staggered easing of the tough restrictions once 70 per cent of the state's adult residents receive at least one dose, a milestone he hopes to reach at least by September 23.

"We have thrown everything at this, but it is now clear to us that we are not going to drive these numbers down, they are instead going to increase," Mr Andrews said today, after a lockdown for nearly a month failed to quell the outbreak. The lockdown has been due to end on Thursday.

07:19 AM

Phuket Sandbox in jeopardy as red-list Thailand cases surge

Authorities in Thailand’s island of Phuket have warned that a pioneering experiment to reopen to foreign tourists is in jeopardy after an outbreak of Covid-19 cases, reports Nicola Smith.

The so-called Phuket Sandbox was launched on July 1 to allow fully vaccinated tourists from low- to medium-risk countries to visit without mandatory quarantine. The initial concept was to allow them to visit other Thai destinations after staying on the island for at least 14 days.

But Phuket has now blocked itself off from the rest of the country where the virus is surging, and has instituted its own soft lockdown measures to contain an outbreak that hit at least 100 cases a day towards the end of August.

The virus is spreading among vulnerable communities even though at least 70 per cent of the local population has been vaccinated.

Tourism officials have warned that foreign tourists already feel “cheated” that they can no longer enjoy bars and entertainment venues and that tougher measures would spell doom for the scheme, reported the Bangkok Post.

Narong Woonciew, Phuket’s governor, said local authorities are stepping up efforts to contain the surge.

"We have to join forces and move forward. This is a life-and-death situation for the future of Phuket Sandbox,'' he said.

Thailand has recently been added to the UK's red list, meaning arrivals must spend 10 days in a quarantine hotel at a cost of £2,285.

07:07 AM

Benidorm safer than Blackpool, with amber list holidaymakers less likely to catch Covid

Benidorm is safer than Blackpool, according to official data, with figures showing holidaymakers are more likely to contract Covid on staycations in England than breaks in amber list countries.

Analysis of NHS data shows people who stayed in England were more likely to test positive for the virus than those returning from amber or green destinations.

The test positivity rate for England stood at 1.36 per cent for the three weeks to Aug 11, compared with 1.3 per cent for the 500,000 holidaymakers who jetted to amber countries and were tested on their return.

The difference was even starker when broken down on a regional basis, with the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber topping the table with 2.1 per cent and 1.84 per cent test positivity rates respectively.

Read the full story here.

07:03 AM

What happened yesterday?

Here’s a recap of Tuesday’s headlines:

• Transatlantic corridor in doubt as EU recommends US travel curbs

• Italy lifts quarantine rules for double-jabbed Britons

• Tui cancels holidays to Jamaica due to Foreign Office advice

• Costly PCR travel tests 'here to stay'

• US raises travel alert for European countries

• Heathrow arrivals face another day of delays

Now, on with today's travel news