Six million Brits face summer holiday chaos if Spain and Greece slapped on 'amber plus' list with France

SIX million Brits face summer holiday chaos if Spain and Greece are added to the government's 'amber plus' list with France.

Travellers returning from France must self-isolate for 10 days even if they are double jabbed.


The government's decision came amid fears of a rise in Beta variant Covid cases that could evade some vaccine protection.

Holidaymakers were forced to scrap trips at the last minute as French trips were thrown into disarray.

Now holiday hotspots Spain and Greece could be added to the amber-pluslist, with Labour estimating 5,857,558 Brits face last-minute quarantine.

Shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said: “Not only have they [ the government] failed to protect our borders, allowing Covid cases to rocket, they also refuse to be straight with the public and give them the information they need to book travel with confidence, with clear information on the direction of travel of infections in each country.

HOLIDAY MAYHEM

“Families who have booked holidays in good faith now risk losing out – a 10-day quarantine is simply not an option for many people who are already struggling financially thanks to the pandemic.”

The government has hinted that France's stricter measures could be scrapped at the start of August during the next travel review, as cases of the Beta variant fall.

Environment Secretary George Eustice told LBC: "As those rates come down obviously the evidence will change and it can be reviewed and we will want to be putting countries like France back onto the amber list in the normal way."

It comes as Health Secretary Sajid Javid was accused of spooking Prime Minister Boris Johnson into adding France to the amber-plus list.

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Mr Javid is said to have over-reacted to claims the AstraZeneca jabs are not as effective against the Beta – or South Africa – variant.

The Beta variant makes up 10 per cent of French cases – but many are on its Indian Ocean territories in Reunion and Mayotte.

New data shows the AZ jabs are 83 per cent effective at blocking hospitalisation from the Beta variant – compared to 88 per cent effective against the Delta variant.

A source Mail on Sunday: 'Saj frightened the PM to death. [Grant] Shapps was so p****d off that the decision was taken without him being present.

"No 10 and the Department of Health must now be feeling pretty f****** stupid after the backlash."

It comes passengers returning to Heathrow from amber list countries queued for hours after e-gates broke on the busiest weekend of the year.

Families who have booked holidays in good faith now risk losing out – a 10-day quarantine is simply not an option for many people

Frustrated travellers missed pre-booked taxis or coaches due to delays yesterday.

One passenger said those at the back of passport control had to wait ''hours and hours'' as there was only one person at the border desk.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Border Force staff have been diverted from airports to the English Channel to deal with record numbers of migrants arriving by boat.

It has sparked fears of long queues at Heathrow as overstretched border staff struggle to man desks as airports get busier.

An aviation source told The Telegraph: "This is the thing we are dreading the most."

The government has refused to rule out adding Spain and Greece to its amber-plus list of travel restrictions – leaving Brits' holiday plans up in the air.

A Department for Transport spokesman said: “The travel list allocations have not changed for Spain or Greece.

“We are closely monitoring the data and will take swift action on travel list allocations and international travel requirements should the data show that countries’ risk to England has changed.”

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