The travel industry has been left disappointed after news that travellers who leave the UK without a valid reason will face a fine of up to £5,000, starting from 29 March until 30 June.
It comes as the UK government has introduced a new law which states: “No person may, without a reasonable excuse, leave England to travel to a destination outside the United Kingdom.” This does not include the Republic of Ireland or the Channel Islands.
While this has come as a blow for those hoping to get away in the early summer, it is important to remember that this new law is set to be reviewed on 12 April – when the Global Travel Taskforce presents their recommendations on ways the UK can resume international travel.
At present, it is unclear whether holidays booked from 17 May will be able to go ahead, as there is a chance that this law could change as a result of the Global Travel Taskforce’s advice.
Additionally, with some popular European destinations currently experiencing a third wave of the coronavirus, it is possible that the resumption of travel date could be pushed back even further in order to prevent new strains from entering the UK.
Travel is uncertain at the moment. Therefore, our recommendation for anyone with a holiday booked between 17 May and 30 June is to sit tight and to not make any changes to their holiday booking until the advice has been published by the Global Travel Taskforce on the 12 April. The reason we say this is because we should hopefully have a clearer picture of when travel is likely to resume from this date.
Anyone looking to book a holiday after 30 June should also consider booking with a tour operator or travel company that offers flexible terms and conditions. That way, should the UK government extend the travel ban, Brits will be able to change their holiday plans accordingly – without losing out financially.
As ever, it is important that holidaymakers take out travel insurance as soon as they book their holiday, ensuring that the policy they buy has the Covid-19 cover they require.
For information on what type of cover to look out for, click here.
