Recommendation 1

The way in which the Government introduced international travel restrictions during the pandemic was inconsistent, confusing industry and passengers. The aviation industry, which connects the UK to the world, experienced severe economic difficulties due to Government restrictions that were not based on scientific consensus. As international travel restarted in the summer of 2021, the industry, its workforce and passengers were subjected to a traffic light system that was opaque, ambiguous and inconsistent. Government restrictions on international travel throughout the pandemic were disproportionate to the risks to public health.