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* PM says double vaccine shot process can open up travel
* Transport minister to set out green list countries
* Anger rises over travel restrictions
* Germany's Merkel: Europe should quarantine Britons
(Updates with Johnson's comment)
By Sarah Young and Guy Faulconbridge
LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris
Johnson hinted on Thursday that the UK was close to permitting
unrestricted travel abroad for fully vaccinated people, in what
would be a huge boost for airlines and holiday companies brought
to their knees by COVID-19.
Johnson said he was not ruling out going abroad for his
summer holiday and said there would be an announcement later on
Thursday.
"I think that the whole double jab process is offering the
real prospect of opening up to travel, and we'll be setting out
a bit more later on," he told reporters.
The summer season, when airlines make almost all their
profits, could be saved if the government decides to allow
people who are fully vaccinated to avoid quarantining on their
return to the UK - although it would also depend on popular
destinations being easily accessible to British travelers.
The government has come under increasing pressure to ease
restrictions as the peak July and August holiday season
approaches.
Pilots, cabin crew, travel agents and other workers from the
travel industry held protests on Wednesday, calling on the
government to open up more routes, while British Airways
, easyJet and TUI are backing a court
case questioning the government's travel rules.
Britain has one of the fastest vaccination programmes in the
world but so far the government has effectively prevented travel
to most countries through quarantine and testing rules,
prompting the industry to warn of multiple business failures and
job losses.
GREEN LIST
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is expected to announce
later on Thursday changes to England's "green" list for
quarantine-free travel amid speculation that restrictions could
be eased for Spanish islands.
Currently there are just 11 "green" destinations. Malta and
the Portuguese island of Madeira have also been touted as
possible additions, and airlines have said they will be ready to
go should new destinations open.
But any wider reopening of travel from the UK faces a new
challenge as European destinations could start to restrict
entry.
German chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday she would
like European countries to require people entering from Britain
to go into quarantine, as is the case in Germany, citing the
high prevalence of the more infectious Delta variant in the UK.
(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge, Sarah Young, Kate Holton and
Michael Holden
Editing by Philippa Fletcher and Frances Kerry)
