Agents pessimistic about long-haul travel

Sunday, 26 May, 2020 0

Travel agents aren’t expecting to attract much long-haul business before next year.

A TravelMole poll showed that fewer than 40% of agents think a significant number of clients will want to take trips outside Europe before 2021.

The results came as Virgin Atlantic announced that it isn’t expecting to re-launch flights until August at the earliest.

British Airways is also planning to operate a much reduced schedule until the UK’s quarantine is lifted.

The mandatory 14-day quarantine will be introduced on June 8 for almost everyone arriving in the UK, except people travelling from the Republic of Ireland and Channel Islands. Ministers said the quarantine will be reviewed every three weeks, indicating it will remain in place until at least June 29.

Meanwhile, other countries in Europe are planning to lift travel restrictions. Spain has just announced that it will end its quarantine on July 1.

The UK Foreign Office is continuing to advise against all non-essential international travel indefinitely, which means that it’s almost impossible to buy trave insurance cover for any trips. A further problem for clients planning long-haul trips for when the travel ban is iifted is that many insurers have removed cover for coronavirus, including emergency medical treatment.

Linsey McNeill

Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk

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