easyJet research: 61% of Brits want restriction-free foreign travel this summer

New research reveals 61% of Brits believe that under the traffic light travel system, the green tier should mean restriction-free travel this summer, mylondon.news reports.

The traffic light system will add green and amber categories of countries to the current red list used by the government. Currently, countries on the green list will require Brits to take a PCR Covid test before they fly there, at additional expense.

55% of Britons say they will not be able to go on holiday this summer if expensive PCR Covid tests, currently costing up to £150, are imposed on passengers to low-risk ‘green’ tier countries.

Under these rules, with the current costs of Covid tests, there is a risk that foreign travel will be out of reach for many families flying from the UK this summer. For a family of four, recent reports suggest that tests alone could cost between £240 to £600 to go on holiday to Greece, Spain, or Portugal.

According to research from easyJet, which polled 2,000 British holidaymakers, nearly three-quarters (74%) of Brits believe that if tests do remain a requirement for travel to low-risk green tier countries, they should be in line with the lateral flow testing being used for the reopening of the rest of the UK economy rather than the more complex and expensive PCR tests. PCR tests are processed in a laboratory and come at a far greater expense than lateral flow tests, which give results in 30 minutes.

Well over half (58%) of us are more likely to take a vacation abroad to low-risk green countries this summer if the government introduced cheaper lateral flow tests in place of expensive PCR tests.

The study also unveils that the average Brit believes the cost of a PCR test should be brought down to £30 if they have to remain, with the maximum they are willing to spend being £50.

When it comes to the more ‘at-risk countries, amber and red on the government’s traffic light system, 90% of Brits agree testing is needed to ensure safe travel.

Nearly two-thirds (62%) believe that having a PCR Covid test on our return from a low-risk country is unnecessary.

The research indicates that Brits have not had a foreign holiday in 620 days. This means the average Brits face not having a holiday abroad for three years if current testing rules and costs apply.

Of those surveyed well over a half (56%) said a summer breakaway was the thing they were most looking forward to after the lockdown. In fact, nearly three-quarters (74%) said they believe a proper summer holiday is vital to both the economy and the nation’s mental wellbeing this summer.

It’s not just holidays that fuel our desire to go abroad, with more than a third (35%) wanting to travel this summer to see family that they haven’t seen during the pandemic.

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