Seoul —
While UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that foreign travel could start as soon as May 17, triggering a surge in flight bookings, England has only just put in place its toughest border curbs of the pandemic, imposing 10-day hotel quarantines for British and Irish nationals and residents arriving from dozens of countries.
“We cannot seriously talk about recovery as long as quarantine requirements are in place,” said Volodymyr Bilotkach, a lecturer in air-transport management at the Singapore Institute of Technology. “Countries continue making up their rules, changing them as they go.”Isolation can take a toll on travellers stuck in hotel rooms, which often have sealed windows and minimal space.
Johnson fuelled optimism this week by saying the end of the pandemic is in sight for England, unless infection rates surge again. All adults in the UK are due to be offered a vaccine shot by the end of July, and data suggest one dose provides a high level of protection. As of February 22, passengers on flights into Canada must pay for three nights at a government-approved hotel as part of their mandatory 14-day quarantines. The New Zealand government is considering forcing travellers from overseas to isolate at home even after their 14-day mandatory hotel quarantine ends. From February 1, anyone entering Vietnam has to do 21 days of quarantine at their own expense.“European countries are still discouraging or restricting foreign travelers.