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* UK proposes traffic light system for travel
* Says more details on whether travel possible in early May
* Travel to low risk green countries requires expensive PCR
test
* Airlines say that will make travel too expensive for many
* Transport minister says people can now book trips abroad
(Recasts with Jet2 statement)
By Estelle Shirbon and Sarah Young
LONDON, April 9 (Reuters) - British travel company Jet2
said it was cancelling holidays until late June,
blaming uncertainty in UK government plans for restarting
international travel, which were condemned by airlines.
Flight operators had been counting on government proposals
published on Friday to allow planning for a summer getaway
season, but the industry criticised the release for not
including a start date for travel or listing which countries
would be open for holidaymakers.
"We are extremely disappointed at the lack of clarity and
detail," said Jet2 chief executive Steve Heapy. "The framework
lacks any rigorous detail about how to get international travel
going again."
Jet2, the UK's third largest carrier by passenger numbers,
said it had no choice but to cancel flights and holidays to June
23, over a month later than the May 17 date the government has
said is the earliest for international travel to resume.
The country's largest airline, easyJet, also criticised the
government's plans, saying the requirement for an expensive PCR
COVID-19 test for trips to low-risk countries would mean that
only wealthy people could take holidays abroad.
Airlines and travel companies are desperate for a bumper
summer after a year of restrictions. Without a high level of
unrestricted travel, some could be left struggling to survive or
needing fresh funds.
The government has proposed a traffic light system, with
countries falling into red, amber or green categories based on
COVID-19 risks. Green countries will require a PCR test which
costs about 100 pounds ($135) for travellers once they arrive
back in the UK.
Airlines will need to wait until early May to hear when
international travel can restart, said the government.
"This does not represent a reopening of travel as promised
by ministers," said Airlines UK, an industry body which
represents British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair
, Virgin Atlantic and others.
"It is a further setback for an industry on its knees."
EasyJet said the PCR test cost is higher than some of its
fares, and called on the government to re-assess its plan.
"This risks reversing the clock and making flying only for
the wealthy," said easyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren.
Britons have embraced the era of low cost travel over the
last 20 years and are among Europe's highest spending tourists.
In 2019, more than six in ten Britons took a foreign holiday.
Transport Minister Grant Shapps said that the government
wanted to make testing for travel cheaper and suggested that in
time, the PCR test could be changed for a more affordable
lateral flow test.
"We are committed as a government to work to drive those
costs down, and also in time of course review potentially the
type of test," he told the BBC.
The framework for travel will be reviewed at the end of
June, July and again in October, the government has said.
"I'm not telling people that they shouldn't book some
holidays now," Shapps said. "It's the first time I've been able
to say that for many months."
Case numbers in Britain have dropped dramatically since a
January peak under a strict lockdown which banned holidays, but
a government priority is to avoid undermining the success of its
vaccination programme by importing vaccine-resistant variants
from overseas.
Under the traffic light system, restrictions such as hotel
quarantine, home quarantine and compulsory COVID tests will
apply differently depending on which category of country a
passenger arrives from.
A digital travel certification system would also be part of
the plan but the proposals gave few details beyond saying that
Britain wanted to play a leading role in developing standards.
($1 = 0.7310 pounds)
(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon and Sarah Young; additional
reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Toby Chopra)
