Travel
Spain scraps more Covid travel rules in time for the Easter holidays
The rule change means thousands of travellers will now be permitted to enter the country
Spain has eased a number of its Covid travel rules for vaccinated travellers just in time for the Easter half term.
To enter Spain, any non-EU travellers – which includes the UK – has needed to show proof of their EU approved vaccine status, which includes Pfizer, Moderna, Astrazeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax.
But from today, March 1st, vaccines will only need to be WHO approved, meaning those vaccinated with the Chinese made Sinopharm and Sinovac and India’s Bharat Biotech will now be permitted to enter, Spain’s expat newspaper The Olive Press reports.
However, Brits who are yet to receive two doses of a Covid vaccine are still prohibited from entering the country.
Eugene Zhyvchik / Unsplash
And anyone who had their second jab more than nine months ago will have to provide proof of their booster vaccine (third jab) to be considered as fully vaccinated.
This comes after Spain lifted its controversial Covid rule that banned unvaccinated children between the ages of twelve and seventeen from entering the country.
Read More: All Covid travel tests to be scrapped for vaccinated UK arrivals
Instead, those under eighteen who haven’t had both of their jabs will just have to provide a negative PCR test taken seventy-two hours before arrival.
Though those planning a Spanish getaway will need to proceed with caution; EasyJet recently reminded holiday-goers that popular destinations Ibiza and Mallorca have put a restriction on the number of alcoholic drinks served in all-inclusive hotels.
Ferran Feixas / Unsplash
The new rule will split the day into a ‘lunch timetable’ and an ‘evening timetable’, with only three alcoholic drinks permitted during each slot.
Other restrictions include a ban on the sale of alcohol in shops between 9:30pm and 8am, pub crawls, two-for-one drinks offers and happy hours.
The rules were introduced by the government of the Balearic Islands in a bid to clamp down on public drunkenness and anti-social behaviour among British tourists.
Most of the new restrictions did come into place in 2020, but due to the Covid pandemic, most holiday-goers are only now discovering them.
Travel
Passport fees are rising tomorrow for second time in 14 months
Things are getting more expensive, again…
In bad news for holidaymakers, the cost of getting a new passport is set to rise once again.
The Home Office has confirmed that passport fees are set to rise by more than 7% from tomorrow, under new proposals.
This means the cost of online applications within the UK, for anyone aged 16 and over, will increase from £82.50 to £88.50.
Mikey / Flickr
Children under 16 will also see an increase in passport costs, with the price rising to £57.50 from £53.50.
Overseas and postal applications will also rise at a similar level, with postal increasing to £100 for adults and £69 for children, and an online overseas application rising to £101 for adults and £65.50 for children.
The new charges will officially be in place from tomorrow, Thursday April 11th.
Last year passport fees increased by around 9%, back in February 2023.
Ethan Wilkinson / Unsplash
The Home Office said in a statement: “The new fees will help ensure that income from these applications better meets the cost of delivering passport and associated operations, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation.
“The Government does not make any profit from the cost of passport applications.
“The fees contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders.
“The increase will also help enable the Government to continue improving its services.”
Travel
Passport fees to rise within weeks as Home Office confirms new prices
Things are getting more expensive, again…
In bad news for holidaymakers, the cost of getting a new passport is set to rise once again.
The Home Office has confirmed that passport fees are set to rise by more than 7% next month, under new proposals.
This means the cost of online applications within the UK, for anyone aged 16 and over, will increase from £82.50 to £88.50.
Mikey / Flickr
Children under 16 will also see an increase in passport costs, with the price rising to £57.50 from £53.50.
Overseas and postal applications will also rise at a similar level, with postal increasing to £100 for adults and £69 for children, and an online overseas application rising to £101 for adults and £65.50 for children.
While the changes are still subject to parliamentary approval, if passed they will be in place from April 11th.
Last year passport fees increased by around 9%, back in February 2023.
Ethan Wilkinson / Unsplash
The Home Office said in a statement: “The new fees will help ensure that income from these applications better meets the cost of delivering passport and associated operations, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation.
“The Government does not make any profit from the cost of passport applications.
“The fees contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders.
“The increase will also help enable the Government to continue improving its services.”
Travel
Wizz Air launch mystery holiday deal where you find out destination when you land
Enter the competition to win a ticket
If you’re dreaming of catching a jet plane to just about anywhere, well Wizz Air have launched a holiday deal where the mystery location isn’t revealed until you land.
The Hungarian airline will take a plane full of holiday hopefuls from London Gatwick for a four-day mystery getaway as part of its #LetsGetLostwithWIZZ campaign.
Those who win a ticket to the unknown location, will turn up to London Gatwick on March 7th to board a Wizz Air flight for ‘four days of fun, including cultural, culinary and adventure activities’ – it could turn out to be the trip of a lifetime!
To be in with a chance of winning a seat on the flight, UK residents can visit the Wizz Air’s Instagram page and follow the prompts on the Let’s Get Lost London pinned post.
“Entries close on February 22nd at 00.01am”, the low-cost airline says.
The lucky chosen ones will be able to bring a plus one on the trip and winners will be contacted via Instagram.
In a post shared to its official Instagram page, the airline put: “It’s time to get onboard our latest venture to the unknown with Let’s Get Lost London, departing from London Gatwick to…
“Do this by the 22nd February and you could be in with a chance of departing with us on an exciting flight to the unknown.
“The trip will take place between 7th – 10th March. Open to UK residents only, please make sure you’re following WIZZ on Instagram and that your profile is public.”
If you’re wondering whether you’ll need your bathing suit, suncream, hiking boots, rain coat or winter woollies, don’t worry, the 35 lucky winners will be told the climate to pack for a few days before the trip.
No other clues will be given away until touch down in the unknown destination.
UK Wizz Air Managing Director, Marion Geoffroy said: “We love connecting our passengers to new countries, allowing them to meet new people and try new experiences.
“Going on a flight to an unknown destination is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we are pleased to be able to offer this to lucky winners here in the UK.
“Let’s Get Lost is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to our British passengers and we hope to continue serving them as they travel the world and make new memories.”
Wizz Air flies to more than 70 destinations from the UK. Last year, the most popular destinations among Brits included Morocco, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and Spain.
It is unclear whether the airline will jet the 35 lucky ticket holders and plus ones off to one of its more popular destination choices, or whether it will choose to take them somewhere a little more alternative and secluded.
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