Holidays: Michael O'Leary slams UK travel restrictions

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On Sky News today, Michael O’Leary was announcing Ryanair’s 14 new routes for the winter schedule. However, it was the traffic light system that Michael really talked about.

He said: “Traffic to and from the UK is still being hampered by this traffic light system that doesn’t work because they keep changing it and it undermines passenger confidence.”

While Ryanair is currently operating at about “80 percent pre-Covid volumes”, Michael still believed more should be done.

He said: “I’m standing in London and it’s empty.

“It’s missing all the visitors it would normally have so I would call on the UK Government to do away with the traffic light system, adopt the same system as the Europeans have.

READ MORE: Most popular road trip in the UK named

“If you’re doubly vaccinated no restrictions, if you’re not doubly vaccinated you need a PCR test but let’s not have any more of these bizarre traffic lights that don’t work.”

The traffic light system, which Michael claimed doesn’t work, is stopping people travelling, and more importantly, he believed, is stopping Europeans from coming in.

He said: “The big test now than the schools are going back in September, we want to keep encouraging building confidence in air travel.

“Not just people going abroad to Europe but also we need to bring more Europeans here.”

He even explained how the traffic light system impacted him.

He said: “I’ll give you my experience.

“I came into London today from Brussels.

“Three nights ago I didn’t need a negative PCR test and yet two nights ago the Government changed the rules and I had to rush around to get a negative PCR test yesterday just to come to London despite the fact that I am fully vaccinated.”

This proved the traffic light system was unnecessary.

He said: “You don’t need the additional security of a PCR test if people are doubly vaccinated.

“You need to restore confidence in this industry, the UK hugely depends on the tourism industry.

“I think it’s going to be a much longer slog to get the Asians and the Americans back but you could get the Europeans back in here.

“And that business is being hampered by this continuously chopping and changing traffic lights that just cause confusion.

“Whether the rules should be simple, if you’re double vaccinated no restrictions, if you’re not double vaccinated get tested.”

While the traffic light system was an issue, Michael was very optimistic about the future of the travelling industry and travel in general.

He said: “I think people who’ve been locked up for the last 18 months are desperate to travel, they’re desperate to go on holidays, they’re desperate to go back and see city breaks, visit friends and family.”

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