Foreign holidays 'unlikely to be possible' this summer

UK Government health Secretary Matt Hancock has warned that people are unlikely to be able to go on foreign holidays this summer, despite Ryanair planning to restore flights from July.

Asked whether “summer was cancelled”, Hancock told This Morning on STV: “I think that’s likely to be the case.”

He added: “It is unlikely that big, lavish international holidays are going to be possible for this summer.

“I just think that’s a reality of life.”

The Foreign Office has advised against all but essential international travel since March 17, while domestic holidays are not allowed due to lockdown.

Hancock’s comments came just hours after Ryanair announced it will operate nearly 1000 flights per day from July 1 subject to European countries lifting flight restrictions and “effective public health measures” being put in place at airports.

The plan involves 90% of the airline’s pre-Covid-19 route network being restored, but on reduced frequencies.

Since mid-March it has operated a skeleton daily schedule of 30 flights per day between the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe.

Passengers and crew will be required to wear face masks or face coverings, and pass temperature checks.

Queuing for toilets will be banned, but “toilet access will be made available to individual passengers upon request”, according to the airline.

A limited range of refreshments will be sold on board, and no cash will be accepted.

Ryanair said all surfaces in its cabins will be disinfected every night with chemicals which are effective for more than 24 hours.

The carrier will require all passengers flying in July and August to complete a form when they check in, stating how long their visit will be and where they are staying.

This information will be provided to EU governments to “help them to monitor any isolation regulations they require of visitors on intra-EU flights”.

Ryanair chief executive Eddie Wilson said: “It is important for our customers and our people that we return to some normal schedules from 1 July onwards.

“Governments around Europe have implemented a four-month lockdown to limit the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

“After four months, it is time to get Europe flying again so we can reunite friends and families, allow people to return to work and restart Europe’s tourism industry, which provides so many millions of jobs.”