Summer travel myths: ‘Absolutely not’ illegal to travel abroad, says Simon Calder

Simon Calder on travel restrictions for vaccinated people

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Simon Calder explained on ITV today that travelling abroad this summer is not illegal. Britons can still travel to any country “that will have them”, said the travel journalist.

Simon Calder spoke to Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby about foreign travel on This Morning today.

There has been much confusion in recent days about what Britons can and cannot do, especially since the Government announced on Monday that the planned easing of lockdown rules has been delayed.

Boris Johnson’s so-called “Freedom Day” will no longer take place on June 21, but four weeks later instead.

Lockdown restrictions in England will be lifted on July 19, the prime minister confirmed this week.

But Mr Calder noted this morning that some airlines “don’t think there will be any significant changes” next month to the current travel rules.

The journalist claimed that budget airline easyJet believes the Government’s travel traffic light lists will stay the same as they are now.

This is the reason why the airline has announced the launch of new routes this summer – from Liverpool to Bournemouth.

“You can drive it in four hours but fly it in an hour,” Mr Calder explained.

easyJet’s new route from Merseyside to Dorset will cost Britons £23.

However, Mr Calder insisted that foreign travel is “absolutely not illegal”.

He said: “It’s absolutely not illegal to go abroad.

“I could walk straight out of the studio, go to Heathrow airport, get on one of the many flights to India.”

The travel expert added: “I’m not going to – I think that would be a foolish thing to do and if I came back I’d have to immediately go into hotel quarantine. But there is no law against it.”

But Mr Calder explained that Britons could go abroad if they wanted to, especially since travellers from England no longer need fill in a “Declaration for Travel” form at the airport.

“You are a free British citizen, you can go anywhere that will have you,” Mr Calder said.

He added that it was “more important” for Britons who haven’t seen friends and family in a year, or more, to go abroad if they wanted to.

However, the travel journalist told Philip and Holly that he, personally, will not be going abroad this summer.

“The simple option is to go and stay in great British cities like York, Edinburgh, Chester,” Mr Calder said.

“They are relatively empty and are great places to stay.

“Go and stay in places like Hull or Cardiff – that’s what I do.”

He added: “If you want a cottage by the sea in Cornwall, good luck with that.”

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