EasyJet has stated that the UK Government should end the “unnecessary and expensive” testing requirement for fully vaccinated people as the carrier plans to increase its capacity between July and September. EasyJet cited a recent study which found that 63% of respondents believe that the UK has lagged behind Europe in opening up travel for UK citizens.
The respondents are not totally wrong either, according to Cirium travel “restrictions for entering the UK mean that country is lagging its continental peers.” The aviation analysis firm also believes that the recovery of air travel in the UK “was delayed by the removal of Portugal from the country’s green list last month.”
While the country has a well-recognised traffic light system, under current UK travel guidelines, all fully vaccinated travellers including UK citizens are required to take a pre-departure lateral flow test before returning to the UK in addition to a PCR test two days after arrival, with easyJet stating that the cost of these tests can be “around £400 pounds per family of four.”
In a statement seen by AeroNewsX, the Chief Executive of easyJet, Johan Lundgren said “We urge the government to quickly remove these unnecessary tests for low-risk countries and for the fully vaccinated otherwise they risk turning back the clock.” The CEO of easyJet added that the airline “is looking forward to taking as many people as we can on that long-awaited and well-deserved trip, or to reunite them with their loved ones.”
The airline is planning to increase capacity over the coming months and hopes to operate around 60 per cent in comparison to pre-pandemic levels. Earlier this month, easyJet announced that it plans to offer around “five million seats on flights between the UK and 85 Green and Amber list destinations this summer.”
While the UK Government has yet to state whether travel testing requirements will be dropped for fully vaccinated individuals, the recent relaxation of restrictions in England could be seen as a welcoming sign that the UK Government has now shifted its position towards living with COVID-19.
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