TUI and Jet2 release vacation updates for customers after travel rule changes

Holiday bookings are expected to skyrocket after the government announced an overhaul of international travel rules for England.

Travel agencies TUI and Jet2 have issued statements to customers with an update of their flight schedules for the fall period.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that eight countries were to be taken off the red list next week, including Turkey, the Maldives tourist hotspot and Sri Lanka.

READ MORE: All new travel rules for vacationers thanks to streamlined traffic light system

It was also announced that from October 4, the traffic light system will be replaced with a single red list of destinations from which travelers arriving in the country will have to quarantine themselves in a government-supervised hotel.

Fully vaccinated people will no longer need a pre-departure test before returning from unblocked destinations, and from the end of October, they will be able to replace the day two PCR test with a flow test. cheaper side – which has raised concerns amid Covid variants.

Jet2

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said he saw an increase in bookings in the latest travel announcement.

Mr Heapy praised the changes to the costly tests, saying vacationers had been “unfairly penalized”.

It also announced additions to its flight schedule, with Turkey due to be taken off the red list next week.

Mr Heapy said: “We have seen demand intensify over the past few days, and there has been an immediate and massive increase in flight and package holiday bookings following this good news for vacationers. in England We are waiting for the Scottish Government and the Executive of Northern Ireland to update their advice as well and we look forward to that.

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“While it has been a long time coming, we are extremely pleased that the government has finally made a commitment to properly reopen international travel. Vacationers will be frustrated that these changes come too late for the peak summer vacation period, but we know how thrilled they will be. or that their vacations are no longer subject to a set of constraints totally out of step with other areas of daily life.

“Having to take a pre-departure test, as well as an expensive PCR test after returning to the UK, has unfairly penalized clients and families who work hard for far too long.

“While removing these burdens is good news and a step in the right direction, there is still a long way to go.

“The traffic light system has been confusing and totally inadequate from day one. We welcome a new approach that is easy for everyone to understand and provides certainty.”

Mr Heapy said Jet2 will resume vacationing in Turkey in time for the winter sun.

He said: “With Turkey being taken off the Red List, we will restart flights and vacations to Antalya and Dalaman from Thursday 23 September.

“We are excited to restart this program and with the right deals to come, we know there will be phenomenal demand for late summer sun, mid October breaks and winter sun. The same goes for the over 40 destinations that we are operating at.

“The desire to get away for a well-deserved vacation in the sun has never abated, but harsh and unfair restrictions have remained a hindrance for some. Now many of those restrictions have been lifted, the rush for flight bookings and package holidays to sun, ski and leisure city destinations tells us just how much vacationers want to get away from it all.

“The holidays mean so much to everyone, and we can’t wait to take our guests on them.”

UIS

Andrew Flintham, managing director of holiday company TUI UK, said he had already seen “an increase in bookings for Turkey in October” and expected customer confidence to increase with the new rules.

The airline released a statement to customers on its website saying their teams are “working” on the new information in the wake of the government’s announcement.

They will update the “covid hub” on test packages and entry requirements in the coming days.

Below are details of the cancellations and their current destination.

TUI flights:

Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca)

Canary Islands (Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, La Palma and Tenerife)

Croatia (Dubrovnik, Pula and Split)

Cyprus (Larnaca and Paphos)

Greece (Corfu, Crete, Halkidiki, Kefalonia, Kos, Parga, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos, Thassos and Zakynthos)

Italy (Naples)

Madeira and Porto Santo

Mainland Spain (Alicante, Malaga and Reus)

Morocco (Agadir and Marrakech)

Portugal (Algarve)

St. LUCIA

Non-TUI flights:

Antigua

Barbados

Gibraltar

Greece (Athens, Peloponnese and Mykonos)

Grenade

Iceland

Italy (Naples, Apulia, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany, Venice)

Jersey

Mainland Spain (Almeria and Barcelona)

Malta

Portugal (Lisbon)

Switzerland

UAE (Dubai)

Due to the current travel uncertainty, the following destinations are being canceled:

Until September 30 included:

TUI flights:

Turkey

Non-TUI flights:

Mauritius

Until October 9 included:

TUI flights:

Aruba, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Florida, Jamaica, Mexico and Tunisia

Non-TUI flights:

Canada, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Maldives, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi) and United States

Until October 31 included:

TUI flights:

Austria, Italy and Slovenia (TUI Lakes and Mountains)

Bulgaria (Varna and Bourgas)

Italy (Calabria, Sardinia and Sicily)

Mainland Spain (Almeria and Girona)

Malta

Montenegro

Thailand

Non-TUI flights:

Austria

Italy

Turkey

For more information on TUI flight schedules, visit their travel information page here.

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