Coronavirus: British Airways boss says vaccinated people should be allowed to travel without restrictions

Sean Doyle called on Britain to work with other governments to allow vaccines and health apps to open up travel

He said the roll-out of shots made him optimistic the airline would be back flying this summer

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A man receives a Covid-19 vaccine in Chesterfield, Britain. File photo: Reuters

Published: 1:03pm, 14 Mar 2021Updated: 1:03pm, 14 Mar 2021

British Airways’s new boss said vaccinated people should be allowed to travel without restriction and non-vaccinated people with a negative Covid-19 test, as he set out his ideas for a travel restart a month before the UK government finalises its plans.

Holidays will not be allowed until May 17 at the earliest, the government has said, but before that, on April 12, Britain will announce how and when non-essential travel into and out of the country can resume.

Sean Doyle, appointed BA’s chief executive last October, called on Britain to work with other governments to allow vaccines and health apps to open up travel, after a year when minimal flying has left many airlines on life support.

“I think people who’ve been vaccinated should be able to travel without restriction. Those who have not been vaccinated should be able to travel with a negative test result,” he said.

Doyle said the roll-out of vaccines made him optimistic BA would be back flying this summer, but added the recovery depends on what is said on April 12.

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