Brits face 10-HOUR queues at UK airports this summer due to Covid tests, vaccine certificates and locator forms

BRITS planning a holiday abroad this year face queues as long as ten hours at the airport this summer, due to the strict new Covid rules and measures being enforced.

Border Forces have warned there is "no way around delays" as they face checks on Covid tests, vaccine certificates and documents on every passenger.

Experts already warned of seven-hour queues earlier this year, with passengers currently travelling being forced to wait in long lines.

However,  Immigration Services Union (ISU), who represent border immigration and customs staff in the UK, have said that this will only get worse when mass travel resumes.

Current travel restrictions require staff to check passenger locator forms, negative Covid tests as well as proof of where each passenger is staying with contact details, taking around 15 minutes per passenger.

Anyone returning from amber countries needs to show proof they have booked both of their Covid tests required, while red destination arrivals need to show their quarantine hotel booking.

If there are any problems, the checks could take up to half an hour per traveller to fix, it has been warned.

Lucy Moreton from the ISU told I News: "We saw delays for seven or eight hours last summer, and with all the additional checks then we could see people waiting as long as 10 hours.

"'There's no way around the delays at the border because Border Force officers will have to check the Covid status of all arrivals and that takes around 15 minutes per person. 

"So, people from all over the world will be mixing inside for a long time."

A group of 60 MPs have already warned the government to "discourage" people booking holidays due to the threat of new variants and a Covid outbreak.

The report, published by All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus (APPG) warns that additional security measures should be in place at airports, amid fears of overcrowding, mixing of passengers from destinations on different traffic light lists.

Green MP and vice-chair of APPG Caroline Lucas added: "We know from past experience that tourism hotspots risk becoming Covid hotspots, with people mixing from all over the world."

The UK government will announce tomorrow which countries will be on the "green list" which will allow Brits to go on holiday without having to quarantine on their return.

It is unlikely to include many countries at first, with Portugal, Malta and Gibraltar the few short-haul destinations.

Spain, Greece, Italy and France are all expected to remain off the green list, and instead on the amber list which requires a 10-day home quarantine, although there are hopes this will be lifted by June.

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