UK says it will simplify confusing COVID-19 travel rules
September 17, 2021, 11:22 am

UK says it will simplify confusing COVID-19 travel rules

people in airport

The Financial Post reported according to Reuters, the British government will set out measures to boost international travel later on Friday, helping airlines and holiday companies which say they will not survive another winter of onerous rules and red tape.

While Europe has relaxed travel restrictions for the fully vaccinated, expensive COVID-19 testing requirements remain in place for fully vaccinated arrivals into Britain, holding back a travel recovery as the tougher winter period nears.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Twitter: “I’ll set out measures to simplify international travel later today in order to reduce costs, take advantage of higher levels of vaccination, and keep us all safe.”

Shapps sets policy for England, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in charge of their own rules.

Travel shares, which were already trading higher on hopes of a rule change, jumped further. British Airways-owner IAG was up 6%, TUI traded up 5%, easyJet was up 3%, Jet2 6% higher and On the Beach up 11%.

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson hinted earlier in the week that a change was likely, and there have been reports that popular destination Turkey may be opened up for British travelers again.

Airlines and travel companies say far-reaching changes are needed or more job losses will follow the 100,000 already lost.

TUI UK managing director Andrew Flintham told Sky News on Friday: “There are hundreds of businesses out there who will not survive this winter unless changes are
made.”

The industry, already on its knees after 18 months of restrictions, is facing a cliff edge as the government’s furlough scheme ends later this month with winter approaching, when fewer people travel and businesses tend to make a loss.

COSTLY TEST RULES SCRAPPED

Shapps’s simplification plan suggests that the so-called traffic light system which ranks destinations as green, amber and red, could go.

By reducing costs he could mean that the government will remove the requirement for fully vaccinated travelers to take a lateral flow test before departing their destination and a costly PCR test on their return into Britain, which can add hundreds of pounds per person to a trip.

Media reports have said that destinations will simply be ranked low or high risk, instead of red, amber and green and that many countries, including Turkey, will be removed from the high risk red list which currently includes 62 destinations.

Data shows that Britain’s travel recovery is lagging. UK flights were down 39% compared to pre-pandemic levels for the two weeks to early Sept. 6, while France, Spain and Italy were down between 24-28%, according to Eurocontrol.

Quarantine hotels, where people spend 11 nights in a designated facility at a cost of more than 2,000 pounds, are expected to remain in place for arrivals from high risk countries.

Source: finacialpost

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”