THOUSANDS of Brits have had their half-term holiday plans ruined as the government faces mounting anger over its traffic-light system for international travel.
It came as easyJet boss Lohan Lundgren urged ministers to put tourist hotspots Greece and Spain on the green list from May 17.
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Transport secretary Grant Shapps announced the government’s traffic light system on Friday, with Portugal and Israel among those on the green list – meaning Brits will not need to quarantine on their return.
But travel bosses were left furious after Greece, Spain and France were put into the amber category – forcing holidaymakers to self-isolate for ten days on arrival in the UK.
Mr Lundgren said the decision to leave holiday favourites off the green list was “overly cautious” and “not justified by the evidence”.
He urged ministers to move Greece and Spain onto the list in three weeks as the risk of contracting Covid was “very low”.
Another senior Tory branded the traffic-light system a “disaster”, adding: “The vaccine programme will have covered everybody, but instead the decisions have been handed over to the scientists.”
Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski also told the Mail on Sunday the government’s approach was “illogical”, adding: “How can you categorise Greece as a whole if it comprises hundreds of islands?
“Some of these islands have a very low R rate, and authorities have put into place measures to protect tourists.”
Insiders told the Mail the decisions on travel had been “led by the Department of Health” and cabinet office minister Michael Gove, who were “determined” to “do exactly what the scientists say”.
Meanwhile, home secretary Priti Patel and chancellor Rishi Sunak were said to be among those arguing for a less strict approach to foreign holidays.
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Sources told the newspaper the Greek islands had not made it onto the green list as health officials had not independently assessed Covid data from those locations.
Meanwhile, Brits jetting off to the sun could face Covid tests double the price of their holidays.
A family-of-four could face a £960 testing bill – more than the £720 spent on a trip to Portugal, the Sunday Mirror reports.
It is feared the tests could price Brits out of a summer holiday – while those breaking testing rules face £4,000 fine.
Tourists have also been warned they face queues of up to ten hours when arriving back in Heathrow Airport this summer.
Officials at the border will be tasked with a range of checks to make sure Covid doesn’t take hold in the UK again.
They must check Covid tests, vaccine certificates and documents for every passenger.
A Government spokesman said: “We are taking a cautious approach to opening up international travel to protect against Covid-19 variants.
“The decision to add countries to the red, amber or green lists is made by Ministers informed by scientific data and public health experts.”
