Airlines in focus as UK traffic light system set to be scrapped

Budget airlines based in the UK were trading higher on Wednesday morning after reports suggested that the UK is set to end its traffic light system for international travel on 1st October.

Paul Charles, founder and CEO of the PC Agency, tweeted that the government’s traffic light system is expected to be scrapped for a simpler model, where countries are either Red or not.
Under the current system, travellers returning from Red list countries currently have to quarantine for 10 days at a government approved hotel at their own cost. The rate is currently £2,285 for one adult.

Countries on the Red list are seen as high risk and that currently includes Turkey, Brazil, and South Africa.

If the government decides to scrap the current Amber and Green lists it would likely mean the second category for fully-vaccinated passengers would still require pre-departure tests and a PCR test upon returning to the UK.

Travellers who are not fully-vaccinated would likely still need to quarantine and test upon returning but it is not clear to what extent that would be.

The simpler rules would likely be welcomed by airline bosses, who have previously criticised the government’s traffic light system.

“The traffic light system needs to be scrapped,” Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said last week. “This monstrously stupid system, that requires passengers from Europe to be double vaccinated and get a PCR test, doesn’t help deal with the Covid problem.”

Shares in Ryanair (LON:RYA) were trading higher by 1.3% in early trade.

Other airlines were also trading higher, particularly those in the budget sector. EasyJet (LON:EZJ) shares were up 1.9% and Wizz Air (LON:WIZZ) shares were trading higher by 0.9%.

British Airways parent IAG (LON:ICAG) saw its shares rise 0.3%.