Abta says vaccine certification may help reopen travel


Ben Ireland


Abta is working with overseas governments on how vaccine certificates could help reopen travel as the vaccines minister says the UK should “facilitate” such a scheme. Director of industry relations Susan


Deer said Abta had been “engaging with destinations to understand their approach to reopening travel” and how vaccine rollouts could impact UK holidaymakers. Deer said “some overseas


governments are certainly looking at how vaccination certificates could fit with testing and quarantine”. But she warned: “There are still a number of unanswered questions


around the vaccines, such as their efficacy against new variants and whether they prevent transmission of the disease, which destinations will be keen to understand”. Deer said the European Council


was considering a standardised proof of vaccination form at EU level, which Abta “will continue to monitor”. Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer


said voluntary vaccine certificates “must be part of the solution” and “would be a real incentive to get people travelling again”. In a blog, he called on the


government to work with the industry to develop a voluntary certificate rather than a mandatory ‘vaccine passport’. Tanzer said vaccine certification


Abta believes vaccine certificates could complement testing and quarantine measures


“isn’t a new idea” and pointed to internationally recognised yellow fever vaccination certificates. But he stressed “it cannot be the only route”, and must be coupled with “a practical and cost-effective testing regime”. Trailfinders chairman Mike


Gooley said it was “hard to comprehend the lack of enthusiasm” for vaccine certification. Greek tourism minister Harry


Theoharis proposed an EU-wide vaccine certificate. Both Greece and Cyprus signed agreements with Israel to enable restriction-free travel. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi


said it would be “right” for the UK to “facilitate” vaccine certification if other countries require it – a week


after he ruled out a ‘vaccine passport’. Prime minister Boris Johnson


said “some counties” will “insist that people coming to their country have evidence of a vaccination”. He said the UK favoured


mass testing within the UK but the government would “look at everything”, accepting “a lot of people are talking about” vaccine certificates. Health secretary Matt Hancock


said the UK was “working with international partners”, while foreign secretary Dominic Raab said the government “hasn’t ruled out” vaccine certification. British Airways expanded a trial of its VeriFly mobile travel health app to all international flights into the UK this week.


CMA threatens refunds legal action Ian Taylor


The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has threatened lastminute.com with legal action if it does not comply with undertakings to refund customers for cancelled package holidays by Friday. However, Travel Weekly


understands these undertakings do not include refunds for the flight element of cancelled bookings where the flight went ahead despite Foreign Office (FCDO) advice – unless the carrier refunds the money. The CMA has publicised


undertakings on refunds from a 6 18 FEBRUARY 2021


succession of companies, including Loveholidays, Virgin Holidays and Tui UK, after writing to more than 100 firms “to remind them of their obligations” on refunds. Yet a senior industry source said:


“The CMA undertakings have not been entirely what they’ve said. Its press releases would have you believe everybody who hasn’t had a holiday will get their money back. That is not what the undertakings say.” In the case of lastminute.com


and Loveholidays, the source said: “These companies agree to pay back the money they agree is due.” Loveholidays joined On the Beach


in quitting Abta last September over the association’s policy that package customers be refunded in full when the FCDO advises against travel. The companies point out there is no explicit requirement for this in the Package Travel Regulations (PTRs). A source at On the Beach


confirmed last week that the company pays full refunds “where a flight was cancelled, not where an airline operated a ‘ghost flight’”. CMA guidance issued last August


was ambiguous but noted: “If a package holiday could be cancelled in light of FCDO advice . . . consumers should be entitled to a full refund.”


A Loveholidays spokesperson told


Travel Weekly in December: “We’ve committed to refunding customers whose package holidays were cancelled due to the pandemic and who are due full refunds in accordance with the PTRs. However, the agreement does not include refunding customers in full in all circumstances.” However, the CMA statement on


the undertakings by Loveholidays on December 15 said the firm “has committed to refund customers whose package holidays were cancelled due to the pandemic”. Travel Weekly was awaiting a response from the CMA as it went to press.


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