UK airline Jet2.com and sister tour operation Jet2holidays have reported a 600 per cent spike in bookings to Portugal after the country was put on the UK’s green list.
Portugal was one of only 12 countries to make the list, which means returning travellers won’t have to quarantine, and is one of the few typical mass-market European beach holiday destinations featured.
Following the announcement last week, Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, said bookings to Faro (Algarve) and Madeira increased by more than 600 per cent in the 24 hours afterwards and by more than 1,300 per cent week on week.
He added Jet2.com and Jet2holidays will recommence flights and holidays on 24 June in order to service the demand.
Heapy said: “We have seen enormous pent-up demand from holidaymakers for some time now, and this rush of bookings to Portugal just shows how ready people are to get away from the gloom to escape to the sunshine.
“We’re ready and raring to go from 24 June, with our teams looking forward to welcoming customers and delivering our award-winning customer service again.
“Although more cautious in approach than expected, the UK government has demonstrated that it wants to reopen travel, and we look forward to further positive news about where we can fly to in the coming weeks.”
