Transport Secretary Grant Shapps yesterday announced in a statement on Twitter that Italy, Vatican City and the microstate of San Marino would be losing their 'air bridge' status from this Sunday October 18 at 4am, leaving just four restriction-free destinations for British holidaymakers: Germany, Gibraltar, Greece and Sweden.
Even then, several of these have exceptions: Mykonos is not included in Greece's air bridge; and Germany has added Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, large parts of northern England and the Midlands to its list of high-risk destinations, meaning anyone arriving from these destinations must take a test on arrival.
There are a number of other countries with air bridge status, including Cyprus, Barbados, St Lucia and the Seychelles, but all have varying levels of restrictions – including tests before arrival and, in some cases, being restricted to your hotel for a certain number of days before taking a second test.
Given how few options are left for British holidaymakers, the call for airport testing couldn't be stronger.
There was some good news in the announcement though, with Scotland and Wales joining England in lifting the mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement on arrivals from Crete, in addition to the Greek mainland and all Greek islands except Mykonos.
Scroll for updates.
04:06 PM
What happened today?
It's been another busy day, with plenty to keep up with. Holidays are still a possibility for many, but the travel map continues to shrink and the need for airport testing only grows larger.
PM isn't currently looking at circuit-breaker lockdown
Further national lockdown decisions in Wales to be announced on Monday
New flights and holidays on sale to Crete as it is added to quarantine-free list
Last-minute scramble back from Italy before quarantine is on
First flights with no quarantine required for passengers arrive into Australia
Courts overturn 11pm coronavirus curfew for restaurants and pubs in Berlin
Follow along tomorrow for all the latest updates.
03:56 PM
'Why can't the UK get itself organised?'
Anne Hanley, a long-time resident of Italy and travel writer, reports on the reaction to the country losing its travel corridor, both in Italy and the UK.
Last week's Italian ruling that travellers from the UK must have tested negative in the 72 hours previous to arrival, or take a rapid antigen test at their point of entry was welcomed in both countries as the kind of precaution which helped travellers and the struggling tourism sector simultaneously. The contrast between Italy's policy and the UK's has drawn sharp criticism.
"We did our tests and they came back negative," one crestfallen friend in London told me. She had sorted her busy work schedule in order to travel to her home in Italy for a few days to pick her olives. "Now I've had to cancel our tickets. Why can't the UK get itself organised?"
Others, on the other hand, grudgingly admit that the new requirements finally bring some clarity after months of uncertainty over whether you'd have to pack your bags and scramble home in the middle of an Italian holiday due to a sudden policy change.
According to hotelier John Voigtman, lack of clear messaging from the UK government caused an underlying nervousness through the season at his properties – La Bandita and La Bandita Townhouse – in Pienza, Tuscany. "I sensed a real terror among British travellers about what might happen," he said.
The cost of regular half-term circuit breakers for UK attractions
Ashford Price, from The National Showcaves Centre for Wales, told Telegraph Travel:
Many tourist attractions in Wales have only traded for approx. 7 weeks this year owing to Welsh Government directives. They are now faced with the coming half term being curtailed, and no Father Christmas trips to their attractions. It then gets worse with the news that future lock downs might take place during school holidays. This means that February 2021 half term now comes into doubt. On top of this there is growing concern that in Wales attractions fear not being allowed to reopen for Easter 2021. How on earth can you run a tourism business in Wales with all these unanswered questions ?
Attraction staff do not know if they will have jobs, and there is great mental stress building up both in employees and owners.
The number of lost jobs will run into tens of thousands and the very future of many attractions must be in doubt.
Naturally, many of the issues he raises also apply to attractions in England and Scotland.
With the news that holidaymakers can once again visit Crete quarantine-free, easyJet holidays joins other tour operators like Jet2 Holidays in resuming flights and trips to the Greek island.
Holidays will be available to book from tomorrow, 17 October, with last-minute sun seekers able to fly in to Heraklion from 24 October.
Paul Bixby, easyJet holidays Commercial Director, said “We know people have really missed their holidays this year and Greece is one of our favourite destinations, so we welcomed yesterday’s announcement and we’re really pleased to re-start holidays to Crete in time for October half term. We’ve got some fantastic offers for anyone looking for a last-minute sunshine getaway."
03:23 PM
'Warden Shapps has bolted the door on our cruise hopes for no good reason'
Cruise journalist Jane Archer expresses her dismay at Italy losing its air bridge, despite the 7-day case rate being far lower than in the UK.
So that’s it then. That slightly ajar door that allowed us Britons to glimpse – nay, hope for – a not-too-distant future when we might be allowed on one of the MSC cruises that have started around Italy, has slammed shut. Not just shut, but firmly bolted by Warden Shapps, who announced yesterday that yet another of the UK’s air corridors has collapsed. Starting from 4am on Sunday morning, anyone coming to the UK from Italy will have to quarantine. It seems leaping from one muddy pool (that’s the one we’re in) to another muddy pool (that’s the one in Italy) is just too dangerous.
PM isn't currently looking at circuit-breaker lockdown
Number 10 said the Prime Minister was not currently looking at imposing a so-called "circuit-breaker" national lockdown.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "I think you've heard from the PM on a number of occasions on this topic this week.
"We do keep all measures under review but he has set out this week that he doesn't believe there should be a national lockdown, and that we believe our three-tiered approach is the right way forward."
Courts overturn 11pm coronavirus curfew for restaurants and pubs in Berlin
Coronavirus restrictions in Berlin were thrown into turmoil on Friday when the courts overturned an 11pm curfew for restaurants and pubs, reports Justin Huggler.
A judge ruled there was no evidence the curfew would do anything to slow infections.
But restaurants and pubs will not be allowed to serve alcohol after 11pm, after the judge upheld a separate ban on alcohol sales.
Rebecca Winke, our expert on the ground, reports from the Italian capital.
Rome is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and travel-related businesses make up a considerable chunk of the local economy. The addition of Italy to the UK’s quarantine list was a new blow during what has already been a difficult season, and those who work in Rome’s tourism industry had a range of reactions.
The five-star Aleph Hotel just off the city’s iconic Via Veneto was one of only a handful of luxury hotels that opened at the beginning of summer, in part because its rooftop pool is one of the city’s buzziest perches when temperatures soar. As General Manager Massimiliano Perversi said, “[...] The road to recovery is still long; our current occupancy rate [is] around 30 per cent.”
Linda Martinez and Steve Brenner, owners of The Beehive design hostel just blocks from the main Termini train station, are resigned. “We’ve seen this coming for months. There are a lot of factors making travel difficult or impossible right now, and this is just one more that is forcing cancellations because it’s not an option for many people to quarantine once they return to the UK. That said, if you take away five per cent of the 10 per cent occupancy we were operating at, it almost doesn’t matter. We’re already eight months into the worst season we’ve ever had, so this new restriction doesn’t really change anything.”
First flights with no quarantine required for passengers arrive into Australia
A Reuters report has revealed that hundreds of New Zealand plane passengers started arriving in Sydney today as part of a new trans-Tasman travel bubble.
This is part of a tentative re-opening to international tourism, and travellers on the approved flights won’t be required to quarantine in Sydney, according to authorities.
Sydney - GETTY
At this stage, the arrangement is not reciprocal.
New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said of the trial: “It is an important first step in bringing back international travel and we hope that Prime Minister (Jacinda) Ardern returns the favour in the near future,”
02:23 PM
Case study: Quarantine chaos leads one reader to rebook holiday four times
Karen Beddow is not unusual in having had her travel plans changed this year: her story will resonate with many.
She told Telegraph Travel:
We had Italy booked for my Dad’s 70th for October half-term. Booked it last October for 12 of us. Villa Pia, gorgeous family-friendly place in the Tuscan hills.
Flights initially cancelled by Jet2 in August. Re-booked with easyJet. Those flights cancelled in September so family decided to abandon.
Our family of five then booked Kalkan for the same week October 24 to October 31, but a week later that was cancelled.
Yesterday (after the 5pm announcement), I’ve booked flights to Rhodes. I’ve ended up booking Saturday to Friday on the basis that if next Thursday's announcement keeps Greece and Rhodes on the travel corridor we can fly out on Saturday and then if it goes off the corridor the week after we can fly home on Friday hopefully before the usual Saturday deadline. It all feels like some complicated legal project. Not like booking a holiday at all!
Still haven’t booked a villa!
02:11 PM
Holiday To Help Out launched by travel trade title TTG
TTG has launched a “Holiday To Help Out” initiative, which will take place between November 2-8 , with suppliers offering discounts and special offers on holidays for 2020 and 2021 available only through travel agents.
Twelve suppliers have signed up so far, including Celebrity Cruises, easyJet Holidays, and G Adventures.
Sophie Griffiths, editor of TTG, said: “This industry has consistently been let down by the powers that be in Westminster so we decided to take matters into our own hands to shine some positivity on travel and try and kick-start the market by driving customers through agents’ doors.
“Inspired by the chancellor’s Eat Out To Help Out scheme, we hope the Holiday To Help Out initiative will create similar excitement about travel and prompt customers to go and talk to their local travel agent about booking the holiday of their dreams.”
01:58 PM
One Italian hotelier looks on the bright side
Italy may have lost its travel corridor, but Valentina de Santis, owner and CEO of Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como is determined to stay positive. She told Telegraph Travel:
I think we are extremely lucky because Italy has been in the air bridge throughout all the summer since July 10, giving us the possibility to welcome many of our beloved British guests for more than four months. The open air bridge made our country for sure one of the top favorite holiday destinations for UK travellers, that had the possibility to enjoy the Italian beauties at their best in 2020 more than ever.
I can just feel positive because we had this incredible possibility during such a challenging season for the whole world. Now it is time to think at the future creating the basis for a safe and sustainable tourism for the years to come.
01:55 PM
Hotels of Pyongyang – pictures of the North Korean hotels frozen in time
Would you stay in a North Korean hotel? If the answer is no, you may change your mind after seeing new images of the country’s surprisingly elegant hotels.
Pictures of North Korea’s expansive indoor pools, marble interiors and swish bars have been unveiled in a new book, Hotels of Pyongyang, by author James Scullin and photographer Nicole Reed.
A touch of glamour in the North Korean capital - NICOLE REED
Featuring beautiful photography of Pyongyang – the isolated country’s capital – the book gives a glimpse into the world of travel in North Korea. The images show hotels which are seemingly frozen in time, looking like something from a Bond movie or episode of Mad Men, but all the more compelling for it.
Further national lockdown decisions in Wales to be announced on Monday
First Minister Mark Drakeford said the Welsh Government will be meeting over the weekend to discuss a circuit-breaker lockdown and announce any decisions on Monday.
He said such a lockdown would be a "new set of national rules for the whole of Wales".
"These are incredibly difficult decisions and we have not yet come to a final conclusion about whether a firebreak is the best way to act," Mr Drakeford said.
"Ministers here will be meeting throughout the weekend to discuss this further and we will report the outcome of those decisions to you on Monday."
Mr Drakeford said a circuit-breaker lockdown was "the option that is most actively under consideration".
01:16 PM
Sir Rocco Forte reacts to Italy being removed from the air bridge list
Leading British hotelier Sir Rocco Forte, whose luxury hotel group includes a fair number of properties in Italy, spoke to Telegraph Travel after the announcement. He commented:
Italy has a far lower rate of infection than the UK so it's pretty pointless. The Government is imposing this before bringing in its testing programme for foreign visitors, long promised but as usual slow on arrival. It is inflicting another heavy blow on the tourism industry and millions of people who work in it with no additional compensation.This comes on top of London being placed into Tier 2 where it is not possible to meet inside if you are six people but OK to catch pneumonia sitting outdoors in the cold weather.
01:12 PM
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays puts flights and holidays to Crete on sale after quarantine removal
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have put October and November flights and holidays on sale to Crete (Heraklion) from six UK bases, less than 24 hours after the announcement that the island will be removed from the government’s quarantine list this Sunday.
The bases include Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle and London Stansted Airports, and flights will be in operation in time for half-term holidays.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said:
We know that the decision to remove quarantine rules is music to the ears of our customers, who are looking to get away to their favourite destinations for some sun, relaxation and time away from it all. This is why we have responded in less than 24 hours to offer them a great choice of flights and holidays to Crete, whilst also giving customers in Scotland more choice to Rhodes too.
01:07 PM
Areas of North East avoid Tier 3 restrictions - for now
Seven local authorities in the North East of England have been given a week's reprieve from going into Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions, a source told the PA news agency.
It was believed council leaders in Northumberland, Newcastle, North and South Tyneside, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham had successfully argued to ministers that the rise in infection rate was slowing in the region, but avoiding the increased restrictions next week depended on that continuing.
Japan to test its Covid-19 countermeasures ahead of Tokyo Olympics
Yokohama Stadium will hold three baseball games at around 80 per cent capacity later this month as Japan looks to test its Covid-19 countermeasures at big events ahead of the rearranged Tokyo Olympics next year.
Professional sports stadiums in Japan have been limited to 50 per cent capacity, with the vast majority of games going ahead without issue.
Economic revitalization minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who heads Japan's Covid-19 fight, told reporters late on Thursday that if the "experiment" was a success, all professional stadiums would be allowed to boost capacity.
12:56 PM
School holiday shutdowns would be 'the final nail in the coffin for tourism'
This morning, the UK's travel and hospitality companies have been telling us what school holiday circuit breakers would mean for them. Unsurprisingly, the reaction has been frosty.
Ruud Jansen Venneboer, owner of Mazzard Farm holiday cottages in Devon, says:
“Needless to say, everyone needs to be prepared to do what is necessary to help defeat Covid. However, if the plan would seriously suggest that not just one school holiday (eg. the upcoming October half term) but a whole raft of upcoming holidays would be designated as national lockdown ‘circuit breakers’, then that would definitely be the final nail in the coffin for many in the tourism industry.
“2020 has already been a very hard year for most, this would just kill off any final hopes some will have to make it through this crisis.”
12:41 PM
Rare pink dolphins enjoy Hong Kong's quieter waters
Chinese white dolphin is seen near the under-construction Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge - Getty/South China Morning Post
Rare pink dolphins have returned to the waters between Hong Kong and Macau after the coronavirus pandemic halted ferries – and remain active in the once-busy shipping lane.
"Today we encountered three different groups of dolphins – six adults and two sub-adults," conservationist Naomi Brennan explained. "They were engaging in a range of behaviour, from feeding to travelling and socialising."
For years keeping tabs on the dolphins has been a disheartening task. The population has fallen by 70-80 percent in the past 15 years in what is one of the world's most industrialised estuaries.
But this year their numbers have bounced back – and they have the pandemic to thank.
Ferries between Hong Kong and Macau have been suspended since February, providing local marine scientists an opportunity to study how the mammals have adapted to the "unprecedented quiet".
12:23 PM
'Not only unfair, but unnecessary': A postcard from Sicily, tarred with Italy's brush
Covid tests are now obligatory for anyone entering Italy - Getty
While more 36,000 people have died of Covid-19 in Italy, in Sicily the virus has killed just 346 people – and yet it, too, is now out-of-bounds for UK travellers. Ros Belford, our destination expert, reports from the island:
People have followed the rules for Covid in Sicily because they are scared of what will happen if they don’t.
Boris Johnson's contention that Italians are not a ‘freedom-loving people’ is not just untrue, but beside the point. Italians – and in particular Sicilians and Southern Italians – are hardly known for unthinking obedience to the law. Nor, more surprisingly, are they particularly health and safety aware: asked why they refuse to wear a seatbelt, or use a wing mirror, the standard answer is often ‘well, if it’s my destiny to die, I will die’. That Covid has triggered a very different reaction is only proof that the fear of an unknown disease lies deep.
It seems not only unfair, but unnecessary, for Sicily to have been tarred with the same brush as the rest of country. It is, after all, an island, making the regulation of traffic on and off far easier than in continental Italy. With rates far below that of most of Britain, and Covid tests now obligatory for anyone entering Italy, it should surely be possible to travel to Sicily from the UK without needing to quarantine on return.
School holiday 'circuit breakers' would put us in an endless limbo
The news that SAGE is advising ‘circuit breakers’ during all school holidays until next summer fills me with dread, writes Abigail Blasi.
I have three children, aged 15, 13 and eight, and the thought of keeping them trapped at home over repeated school holidays – without the prospect of days out or socialising – is profoundly worrying.
Most parents and carers have to rely on a cats-cradle of clubs, childcare and support networks to manage over the holidays at the best of times. If all these are taken away, we’re left with a break from school turned cruel limbo, with everyone trapped at home. Repeated holiday lockdowns would also further impact small businesses. UK hospitality industries are already on their knees, and shutdown during school holidays will deliver the final blow.
After so many calamitous decisions, how can we trust that our government will do the right thing?
“With France and Austria already on the quarantine list, the Government has kiboshed 90 per cent of the UK ski market by now removing Italy,” said Richard Sinclair, managing director of ski travel agency SNO.
It has led to concerns about the future of resorts in Italy, which were the first in the world to close at the start of the pandemic in March.
“This is obviously a huge blow. A lot of these resorts are already quite fragile economies and so this has to be a concern about their future,” said Rupert Longsdon, founder of the Oxford Ski Company. “If these restrictions stay in place there will be a demonstrable impact to the ski season in Italy.”
A postcard from Crete, as the island reopens to British travellers
Crete has been given a 'travel corridor' – the locals are ready and waiting for British holidaymakers to return to save their struggling businesses. Heidi Fuller-Love reports on the scene.
Usually packed with gangs of British teenagers staggering down the middle of the street after drinking too many fishbowl cocktails, the seaside resort of Malia is like a ghost town. Already reeling from years of economic recession, the pandemic, combined with the UK’s haphazard travel corridor policy, have signed the death warrant for countless businesses here – and throughout Crete.
At George’s Bistro on Malia’s – usually busy – main street, owner Sofokleos sits on a stool outside his empty restaurant as he has done all summer.
“So they are reopening the travel corridor again – is this a joke? 90% of our clientele are British, so when they closed that corridor they killed us stone dead,” he tells me.
For those heading abroad in the coming weeks and months, there are certainly a few hurdles to overcome before you reach the beach. Whether it’s your holiday destination being struck from the quarantine-free list, cancelled flights, or turning up to find a closed hotel, there’s no doubt that booking a trip overseas carries a risk.
An increasing number of countries, including Cyprus and Barbados, are also demanding arrivals present evidence of a recent negative coronavirus test, leaving holidaymakers scrambling to get a certificate declaring them Covid-free.
But where can you get a coronavirus test and how much do they cost?
Vaccine roll out being considered for December, as sources say likelihood is '50/50'
A roll out of the coronavirus vaccine is being considered for December, with sources saying that there is a “50/50” chance of the jab being available by the end of the year.
Discussions are already underway between NHS England, the British Medical Association (BMA) as well as other groups over who will administer the vaccines and who will be the first to receive it.
There is debate on whether the first groups to be vaccinated will be care home patients and staff, or health care professionals such as GPs.
One source close to the discussions told Pulse magazine that there is optimism around the potential of a December vaccine, and that the feeling is “50/50” on whether it will be available by then.
'The Government doesn't understand travel – why isn't it asking experts to help?'
Giles Hawke, chief executive of Cosmos Tours and Avalon Waterways, UK and Ireland, offers his two cents on the Global Travel Taskforce.
Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, spoke about the task force at an ABTA convention on Tuesday, and alluded to certain expected findings and recommendations.
He explained the potential of testing one week after travel, and said therefore two weeks of quarantine might be changed to seven-to-10 days of isolation (leaving one to wonder what the actual difference is) while awaiting the test itself, and the results of the test. This will be no help whatsoever to travellers or to our beleaguered travel industry, and it will mean consumers have to pay for tests. The gap between returning from a trip and being able to actually live any real life is still unacceptable. It is also likely to be financially prohibitive for most people at this stage.
Here’s the real kick in the teeth: Anyone in travel could have told Mr Shapps his solution won’t work.
I live in a Tier 2 area – can I still go on holiday?
You probably can. There are no real restrictions around travel, with the Government only advising that “you should and aim to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible.” One caveat to this is the rule on mixing households:
“You must not meet socially with friends and family indoors in any setting unless you live with them or have formed a support bubble with them.”
This will naturally rule out plenty of group holidays, since the rule applies for all those living in a Tier 2 area, even if they are travelling to a Tier 1 area.
Positive news for Irish travellers could be on the way
I’m pleased to see progress now being made by more governments to remove quarantine. The #Irish government is considering allowing travellers to produce a negative #COVID test on arrival and avoid quarantine. #Progress@ThePCAgency
'Visiting Italy was worth the risk – the Vatican has never been more splendid'
The Vatican City is on the quarantine list announced by Grant Shapps yesterday afternoon. Gill Charlton was there at the time.
She writes of her experience:
"Yesterday afternoon I was savouring the once inconceivable pleasure of having the Vatican Museums almost to myself. In the Pinacoteca picture gallery I sat alone admiring the larger than life tapestries made from Raphael’s cartoons, Leonardo da Vinci’s deeply expressive St Jerome and Caravaggio’s achingly poignant Entombment of Christ.
The Vatican - GETTY
Earlier I had wandered through the Sistine Chapel with about 30 others, a fraction of the usual number. Though the security guards, frustrated at having no crowds to herd about, still couldn’t resist getting on the microphone to shout at someone speaking to a friend.
This is what Italian sightseeing must have been like in the 1960s before mass tourism arrived. To see some of the Western world’s greatest works of art without being jostled or having a phone camera shoved into your line of vision makes for a much better experience. And the hushed silence meant you could contemplate what you were seeing. It made me realise what noisy places museums and galleries have become, filled with shouty clattery tour groups and conga lines of chattering children."
Wales to ban travellers from UK hotspots from today
As of 6pm today (October 16), travellers from Covid hotspots in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland will be banned from entering Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced.
Laura Lewis, director of Squirrels Nest, which offers luxury glamping accommodation on the border of Wales, shares her concerns for the tourism industry with Telegraph Travel:
We are very concerned for the future of our business. During the national lockdown we were able to move 85% of our guests bookings to later in the year or over into 2021. It worked well but it means that our 2021 calendar is already pretty much booked up.
Now that we have very limited dates left for 2021, it's likely that immanent guests will require a refund which puts a huge financial strain on the business. I don't know if we can afford it, especially with there being no end to this in sight. It's going to be a very difficult time for the tourism sector and it will break many small businesses. We hope that the government can support us to get through this challenging time.
'School holiday circuit breakers' could spell the end of holidays until next summer
Scientific advisers have told the Government that ‘circuit breaker’ lockdowns should now be scheduled to coincide with school holidays, the Telegraph understands.
By diarising short periods of heightened restrictions for the rest of the academic year, the public would be better able to adapt and infection rates would fall, the theory goes.
But if such measures were introduced, the school holidays – Christmas, half term, Easter – would herald a raft of restrictions, until summer 2021 at the earliest.
Under a circuit breaker lockdown, Tier Three restrictions – or yet stricter measures – could be enforced, barring all ‘unessential’ movement such as holidays and days out for the entire population. This could be applied in either a regional or country-wide approach.
Lancashire will be going in Tier 3 this weekend, after a last-ditch deal was agreed with the Government.
It is thought the local leaders have secured additional funding for them to agree the move, although it is not known the extent of the additional support.
Lancashire will become the second part of England, after the Liverpool City Region, to go into the highest category as the battle over Greater Manchester continues.
Can I still go on holiday in local lockdown? The new travel rules for your tier
Local lockdowns with differing restrictions and contrasting regulations in the home nations have made a mockery of calls for a clear, consistent message over Covid-19. For those planning holidays the situation has become more and more complex.
For instance, if you live inside an area with local restrictions in England, you can still go on holiday outside that area (in Britain or abroad), as long as any indoor socialising you do is only with members of your own household or support bubble.
For those who live in a "tier three" zone, the advice is that you should not leave if you live there unless it is essential, and likewise you should not enter unless for work or school purposes.
Nick Trend has all the answers as to if and where you can go on holiday in Britain at the moment – whether you are in lockdown or not.
Last-minute scramble back from Italy before quarantine is on
As has been the pattern since Grant Shapps started announcing the removal of countries from the air bridge list every Thursday, flights back from Italy this weekend (which will no longer be quarantine-free as of 4am Sunday) have surged in price and there are few direct options left.
This is particularly the case on Saturday, as holidaymakers look to maximise their time away before quarantine comes in.
Here are some of your options on Saturday October 17.
Florence to London City Airport: £318
Rome to Manchester: £295
Naples to London Heathrow: £207
09:03 AM
Where can I go skiing this winter? The latest rules and restrictions in ski resorts
With just a few months until the start of the ski season thoughts have turned to whether winter sports holidays will be able to go ahead.
It’s the million pound question for every keen skier and snowboarder, but with regular changes being made to our list of travel corridors, and Covid cases rising across much of Europe, there is no clear answer.
Skiers and snowboarders are eager to get back on the slopes - GETTY
Very few ski destinations are currently accessible to Britons without the need to quarantine (either on arrival or when they return home), but airport testing or the reintroduction of travel corridors could see this change.
With that in mind, and with a pinch of optimism, we’ve put together a guide to help you navigate the current uncertainties and maximise your chances of getting away to the slopes this winter.
Boris Johnson was on Thursday night embroiled in a standoff with Labour mayors and his own health advisers over his plans for local lockdowns.
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, effectively held the Government to ransom by demanding more money for supporting a move into the top tier of restrictions, while health chiefs warned that a national "circuit-breaker" lockdown may be necessary.
Meanwhile Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, was accused of bouncing ministers into imposing draconian new restrictions on the capital that will decimate its economy.
Mr Johnson is expected to impose the highest level of Covid-19 restrictions on Greater Manchester on Friday, with or without Mr Bunham's consent, while Lancashire was close to agreeing to Tier 3 status on Thursday night.
The Prime Minister now faces an intense struggle to salvage the three-tier policy. His own scientific advisers believe the system will ultimately fail and that "circuit breakers" will be necessary, potentially every school holiday.
easyJet holidays responds to changing travel advice for Italy
All customers due to travel in the coming days up to and including 23 October will be contacted by the easyJet holidays team to share the disappointing news but reassure customers that they will receive a full refund for their cancelled holiday back to their original payment method.
The holiday provider has also contacted anyone due to travel to Italy between 24 October and 1 November to let them know their options. Customers can either receive a full refund back to their original payment method, or receive easyJet holidays credit to make a future holiday booking.
Matt Callaghan, easyJet holidays Customer Director, said “It’s our mission to make sure our customers have safe, comfortable and enjoyable holidays, so with this front of mind we will cancel all holidays where the FCDO advises all but essential travel. We share how disappointing this news will be that we’ve had to cancel holidays to Italy. But we’ve acted straight away to contact our customers who are immediately affected by today’s announcement to explain their options.
EasyJet holidays has also removed Italy holidays from sale.
Ilias S. Kokotos, Director of Elounda SA Hotels & Resorts, Crete, commented:
We are absolutely delighted that The UK has now formed an air bridge with Crete and we are expecting a significant increase in bookings following this new partnership. Crete is a very popular Greek destination for British travellers and the lifting of quarantine restrictions enables guests to return and experience the end of the season. At present, the region of Elounda is extremely safe with less than 10 cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic, and none in the last 45 days.
We welcome the news that Crete is back on the UK travel corridor list and hope this will encourage British travellers to book for an autumn holiday and of course, families to travel in October half term. Although we are now closed for the season, we hope other hotels will be able to benefit from this news and we look forward to welcoming UK tourists at Nana Princess when we reopen for the 2021 season.
08:02 AM
Industry reaction to Thursday's quarantine announcement
It's hardly a surprise that those with a connection to Italy have been mourning yesterday's news.
Lucio Furlani, Head of Tourism for Courmayeur Mont Blanc, Italian Alps, told Telegraph Travel:
It is a great disappointment to hear that Italy has been omitted from the UK's list of air bridge agreements. As a high-end ski resort, Courmayeur receives a huge number of bookings from British guests each year, so we hope that these quarantine restrictions will not be in place too long. As the ski season was cut so short this year, we have had a lot of time to prepare for the re-opening our slopes this December and have already ironed out the various hygiene and safety measures which will be in place. Skiing is a wonderful sport which lends itself well to social distancing, so we look forward to welcoming back our UK guests for an active holiday spent in the clean alpine air as soon as possible.
Simon Ball, Owner of Tuscany Now & More, added:
We are extremely disappointed that Italy has been omitted from the UK's list of air bridge agreements. Italy, and in particular the Tuscan region, is a very popular European destination for British travellers and currently, we still have bookings right up into November. Although it has been a difficult year, our high-end villa offering means that we have still been able to provide guests with a luxury holiday experience this summer. Generally, our properties are situated in remote, rural locations which enabled us to provide safe and secure holidays without imposing too many restrictions. Although it is a shame that this season has been cut short, we look forward to welcoming back our guests next year and are already offering flexible and discounted booking offers.
07:43 AM
Britons aren't happy about Italy losing its air bridge
Twitter was once again aflurry with anguished responses to Grant Shapps' announcement regarding Italy...
Arriving back from honeymoon in Sicily on Sunday night - argh! Seems so crazy that 18 extra hours means my wife and I will have to quarantine for two weeks now! 😞☹️ Especially when Sicily has only had 9k COVID cases in total!
What was the point in them introducing a negative test certificate to travel then? I’ve just paid £140 to get a private test to travel to Italy...and now can’t travel there. Why can’t we introduce the same system?!!!
'We're very disappointed' – Italian tourist board on losing UK travel corridor
Speaking to Telegraph Travel, Mr Flavio Zappacosta from the Italian National Tourist Board said:
It is, of course, very disappointing to learn of the announcement that Italy has been removed from the UK’s safe travel list today. Our cities, coasts, countryside and major attractions are world-class and we have implemented robust protocols to keep our visitors safe so this is a very disappointing development for tourism in Italy and will surely delay our recovery.
Tourism is one of our most important industries and key to the nation’s recovery from the terrible impact of COVID-19. We would like to see testing at UK airports implemented as soon as possible as this could help alleviate the quarantine issue and establish consumer confidence once more in visiting such a popular destination as Italy.
07:36 AM
What happened yesterday?
Another Thursday, another reshuffle of our travel restrictions. Here's a recap of the headlines:
Italy loses its travel corridor
Crete is added to the UK's quarantine-exempt
Scotland and Wales now lift restrictions on all Greek islands except Mykonos
London to be placed under tier two coronavirus restrictions
Angela Merkel demands more Covid restrictions in Germany
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Hezbollah has launched a series of drone strikes against Israeli military bases, in its deepest attack inside Israel since the start of the war in Gaza.
As Leicester City close in on an immediate return to the Premier League, the uncomfortable question looms large: is this the end of the fairy tale for Jamie Vardy?
Petrified wood is one of the most sought-after materials in the world for both its aesthetic value and its scientific value. But in Indonesia, miners who risk their lives to dig it up barely make enough to get by.
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Taiwan was shaken by dozens of earthquakes overnight and into Tuesday that left buildings swaying and some tilting, with the government saying they were aftershocks from a huge deadly quake that hit the island more than two weeks ago.The April 3 tremor was the most serious in Taiwan since 1999, when a magnitude-7.6 quake hit the island.
