SIMON CALDER has said new travel rules that have come into force today are causing “an absolute punch up”.
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Simon Calder shares EU passport rule that could stop European holidays for Britons
SIMON CALDER has explained the new Brexit passport rules that could threaten British tourists’ holidays. British travellers looking to visit the EU on holiday are being urged to check their passport details.
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‘Absolute mess’: Simon Calder shares update as restrictions ‘change very quickly’
SIMON CALDER has said the travel system is an “absolute mess”. The travel expert spoke to Kay Burley on Sky about the “confusing” regulations.
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‘Travel confidence utterly destroyed’: Simon Calder warns it ‘won’t be a normal summer’
“However, [the Government gave] the impression just nine days ago that we can start a race to the sun,” he continued.
“[Now to] find out the rules have changed fundamentally for many people, [they] are either cancelling trips or trying to work out if they can self-isolate.
“It’s just triggering a huge amount of upset… and a sense they cannot possibly have any confidence in any travel arrangements.
“The travel industry is just saying consumer confidence is utterly destroyed by this latest move.”
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‘This summer is for the bold & desperate’: Simon Calder warns Britons face ‘dreadful’ time
Simon Calder is a travel journalist and expert who regularly appears on Good Morning Britain to discuss the Governemnt’s latest travel updates. This morning, he spoke about the most recent change in travel rules to Malta, as well as other European countries.
“It’s so much uncertainty.
“It looks as though this summer is for the bold and the desperate.”
Speaking to Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid of GMB, Mr Calder added: “The green list, and amber list, and green watchlist, and red list, are only a UK coming back in issue.
“The other half of the equation is exactly as you say Richard – will the destination let me in?”
Mr Calder continued: “My prediction is that if we see a levelling off in the UK and a calming down, gradually we might see some kind of equilibrium and it will be safe to book.
“But probably not until September.”
The travel expert emphasised that it is a “dreadful dreadful time” for people who want to travel.
“And, of course, the people who I do feel for are those who don’t want a holiday – they want to reunite themselves,” he said.
“Reunite themselves with loved ones they haven’t seen for months or over a year.
“And this is such a stressful time for them.”
As well as the news about Malta, the other travel updates include the fact that the Balearic Islands have been removed from the green list and added to the amber list.
Britons travelling from Ibiza, Majorca, and Menorca will now have to quarantine for 10 days on their return to the UK.
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Simon Calder's 'holiday quarantine bingo': Countries set to be summer holiday spots 2021
The travel expert listed a number of countries he believes will, or should be, added to the list in his “holiday quarantine bingo”.
However, there are dire warnings from within the travel industry.
Simon went on: “The pilots’ union said to me yesterday at an event, we are reaching the point of no return for summer, unless we get large scale destinations, France, Spain, Italy, whatever, on the green list and open up and atleast tell people ‘look, you will be able to have a holiday in July or August’, it’s simply going to be too late.”
The expert claimed the Government “will have to” open up, based on the data.
He said: “I think they will have to because all the evidence, of course, is that the infection rate in the UK currently is so high you and I would almost certainly be safer, less likely to get an infection, on a beach in Greece or Spain or Italy or France than we would be in the UK,” the travel expert said.
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Summer travel myths: 'Absolutely not' illegal to travel abroad, says Simon Calder
Simon Calder explained on ITV today that travelling abroad this summer is not illegal. Britons can still travel to any country “that will have them”, said the travel journalist.
Simon Calder spoke to Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby about foreign travel on This Morning today.
There has been much confusion in recent days about what Britons can and cannot do, especially since the Government announced on Monday that the planned easing of lockdown rules has been delayed.
Boris Johnson’s so-called “Freedom Day” will no longer take place on June 21, but four weeks later instead.
Lockdown restrictions in England will be lifted on July 19, the prime minister confirmed this week.
READ MORE: Six great places to go to in Britain: Make your staycation memorable
But Mr Calder noted this morning that some airlines “don’t think there will be any significant changes” next month to the current travel rules.
The journalist claimed that budget airline easyJet believes the Government’s travel traffic light lists will stay the same as they are now.
This is the reason why the airline has announced the launch of new routes this summer – from Liverpool to Bournemouth.
“You can drive it in four hours but fly it in an hour,” Mr Calder explained.
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easyJet’s new route from Merseyside to Dorset will cost Britons £23.
However, Mr Calder insisted that foreign travel is “absolutely not illegal”.
He said: “It’s absolutely not illegal to go abroad.
“I could walk straight out of the studio, go to Heathrow airport, get on one of the many flights to India.”
The travel expert added: “I’m not going to – I think that would be a foolish thing to do and if I came back I’d have to immediately go into hotel quarantine. But there is no law against it.”
But Mr Calder explained that Britons could go abroad if they wanted to, especially since travellers from England no longer need fill in a “Declaration for Travel” form at the airport.
“You are a free British citizen, you can go anywhere that will have you,” Mr Calder said.
He added that it was “more important” for Britons who haven’t seen friends and family in a year, or more, to go abroad if they wanted to.
However, the travel journalist told Philip and Holly that he, personally, will not be going abroad this summer.
“The simple option is to go and stay in great British cities like York, Edinburgh, Chester,” Mr Calder said.
“They are relatively empty and are great places to stay.
“Go and stay in places like Hull or Cardiff – that’s what I do.”
He added: “If you want a cottage by the sea in Cornwall, good luck with that.”
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Simon Rimmer switches off 'uninteresting' Eurovision Song Contest 2021: 'I'm outta here'
Simon replied: “Always.”
While a second commented: “It’s a joke now, loads of countries will never vote for UK whatever pop star represents us, even if we brought back the Beatles, never ever, why do we bother with it withdraw our funding let them pay for it. #Eurovision2021.”
A third responded: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint Simon. Reach for the vodka, that gets me through.”
And a fourth typed: “Crank up the volume & more alcohol is the key.”
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This post originally appeared on Daily Express :: Celebrity News Feed
'Flight £20 -Covid test £100' Simon Calder outlines full travel costs facing holidaymakers
Speaking from Portugal, travel expert Simon Calder warned Britons coronavirus testing could be more expensive than flights out of the UK. He said his flight to the Azores “cost £25” but the test “cost £100”. His comments come as he gave travel advice to those desperate to get away from the UK into the sun this summer. But he warned of the mounting paperwork involved with travelling during Covid, even in countries being listed on the ‘green list’ which means you do not have to quarantine on arrival or return.
Calder told the show: “We had this silly situation where Friday afternoon the Portuguese said ok Brits you can come in but by the way if you are booked on Monday’s fight you better get your act together because we are going to need a negative PCR test.
“So I was running around at the weekend down at Heathrow because they guaranteed that they would get the results back to me.”
The travel journalist added: “And the flight cost £25, the test cost £100.
“There is something gone wrong there.”
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Mr Calder also warned Brits that the paperwork for holidays must not be underestimated.
He said: “The only cloud on the horizon is that for going back, I have got to start getting all the forms in place.
“Tests before departure, book a test before arrival, fill in a passenger locator form.
“I’ve been to the Soviet Union and honestly it was a lot easier than just coming back into my own country after this!”
READ MORE: Holiday in Portugal: Rules Britons need to follow when on holiday
Portugal has been listed as a ‘green list’ destination for Brits meaning you do not need to quarantine on arrival or return from holiday – which makes it a desirable option for British holidaymakers who want to escape the UK for a break.
But the country has some of the strictest Covid restrictions, similar to Spain and Italy.
Masks and face coverings are mandatory indoors and outdoors, on public transport and UK holidaymakers are subject to the local rules.
Punters must also wear a mask when entering or leaving the beach in Portugal – if they don’t follow these rules they face a massive €1,000 fine.
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Other green list countries include Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Israel.
Foreign travel reopened on May 17 along with other restrictions being lifted in the UK, such as indoor hospitality and an end to the overnight stay ban.
And a huge 20 flights from the UK landed in Faro, Portugal on Monday morning bringing sun chasing Britons into the country for a much-needed holiday.
Countries labelled as ‘amber’ and ‘red’ on the UK Government’s traffic light system’ remain virtually off-limits for Britons as they are countries with high covid rates.
Travellers to red list countries have to quarantine in government-provided hotels at a cost of around £1,750 per head – covering food, accommodation, transport, and testing.
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Holidays: Simon Calder shares 2 tests you must do even when travelling to green countries
Holidays may be back on from mid-May but travel still won’t be as simple as it once was in pre-Covid days. Even for countries on the “green list,” a number of Covid tests will be required while hotel quarantine remains in place for a swathe of “red list” countries. Expert Simon Calder shared his travel advice today regarding what jet-setters can expect next month.
“From May 17 some international travel will be possible,” he told Radio 2.
“[The Government] will have three lists – every country in the world, and maybe individual regions or islands, will be carved up either red, amber or green.
“The idea is: red countries, like the current red list – 39 nations where you are going to have to go into hotel quarantine when you come back.
“The amber list – that’s 10 days of self-isolation and paying for a couple of tests while you’re here and then green, which is the one we kind of all want.”
READ MORE: Spain holidays: Traffic light system sparks summer holiday concern
However, even for the green destinations, two Covid tests will be needed.
These will have to be paid for out of travellers’ pockets, and they don’t come cheap.
“Even then you’ve got to pay for a test before you even get on a plane, or a train or ferry to the UK and finally when you are arriving in Britain in the next two days you’ve got to take a PCR test which is going to involve yet more expense,” Calder explained.
“So, it’s not going to be easy but it is going to be possible.”
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Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said last week he is hoping to drive down the costs of Covid tests following an uproar about the rising costs of holidays due to the high price of tests.
The minister also said he wasn’t advising against booking travel.
Calder, too, explained today that holidaymakers can get trips in the diary, provided they take the necessary precautions.
He also recommended booking for a later date.
“The later you’re looking at booking the higher the chance you’ll get what you actually want,” he said.
Calder continued: “What I think the Government is going (they’re wanting to be cautious) is, saying we’re going to have a kind of test for six weeks or two months.
“We’ll let all the people who are desperate to see loved ones, we’ll let them go off and jump through all the hurdles… after that hopefully the vaccination roll out across Europe will have improved.”
The travel expert also shared his insight into what countries will likely be on the green list.
“I’m expecting later in the summer, probably from some time in July, but that’s just a prediction, maybe Spain, Portugal, Croatia, Italy, Greece, ad Cyprus will be on the green list and the testing will be a lot easier and cheaper,” he said.
Package holidays are the best type of break to book during these uncertain times.
“At the moment there’s absolutely nothing wrong with booking a holiday so long as you book a proper package holiday,” urged Calder.
“Because then that way you can say, if this doesn’t go ahead, what are my rights? And the travel agent should be able to say, you’ll get a full refund.”
This article originally appeared on Daily Express :: Travel Feed