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The low-cost airline has relaunched holiday and leisure flights from the UK to European destinations, and throughout May will operate 186 flights to destinations given a ‘green list’ classification by the UK government, as part of an easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions beginning on 17 May. Among them, easyJet will operate flights to Portugal, Gibraltar, Israel and Iceland which are on this list. However, the airline has also said it will continue to operate to ‘amber’ countries, where it sees demand among customers willing to accept the mandatory COVID-19 quarantine and testing requirements on their return to the UK.

The government of Taiwan raised its COVID-19 alert level on 15 May in the capital of Taipei, as well as the surrounding area, in response to a reporting additional 180 new domestic cases of the virus. The increased restrictions will last for at least two weeks; face masks are to be worn outdoors for the first time, and the government now encourages work and study from home. In addition will be the closing of cinemas and entertainment spots, while limiting gatherings of families and friends to five indoors and 10 outdoors.

The government of Saudi Arabia has from 17 May lifted a 'ban' on citizens travelling out of the Gulf state without prior permission from authorities. Saudi nationals who have received at least one COVID-19 vaccination dose a minimum of two weeks prior to travel, those who have recovered from COVID-19 within the last six months, and those under 18 will be allowed to travel for the first time since March 2020.

A travel bubble between Hong Kong and Singapore due to open on 26 May has been postponed for a second time, following a spike in COVID-19 cases in Singapore which has further stalled the plan for quarantine-free travel between the financial hubs. The bubble was initially scheduled to begin in November 2020 but was postponed after a rise in infections in Hong Kong. Under the delayed plan, passengers would still be required to test negative for COVID-19 before departure and on arrival, to move freely between the cities.

The country's government has officially launched its summer tourist season, lifting most remaining COVID-19 restrictions on movement and declaring their intentions to put the lockdown behind them. In order to be accepted for entry, passengers from a list of 53 approved countries have to fill in a passenger locator form (PLF) the day before they travel, listing where they are staying; they must also supply a COVID-19 vaccine certificate, a negative PCR test result or a documentation of recent recovery from the virus.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) airlines Etihad Airways and flydubai have announced the cancellation of flights to Israel's Tel Aviv, joining others making similar decisions due to escalating hostilities in the region; Abu Dhabi's Etihad has suspended all passenger and cargo services to Tel Aviv from 16 May, while flydubai has also cancelled flights from Dubai on 16 May, although other services are currently scheduled for the following week.

The country's government has extended a current COVID-19 state of emergency to cover an additional three prefectures where rises in infections have been detected; the news comes as Japan grapples with a surge of a more infectious strain of the virus just 10 weeks before the Tokyo Olympics are due to start. Hokkaido, Okayama and Hiroshima will join Tokyo, Osaka and four other prefectures from 16 May under a state of emergency until at least 31 May. Among the restrictions imposed are an 20.00 (local time) closing deadline for eateries and a ban on alcohol at most bars and restaurants.

The UK government has confirmed that an NHS app offered in England will be available to use as a COVID-19 vaccine passport from 17 May, in line with the easing of national restrictions which will allow UK passengers to resume limited international travel to some destinations. However, it will only be accessible to those who have had both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The airline has said that it well be trialling new queueing technology at London Heathrow Airport from partner Qmatic, which aims to enable passengers to virtually queue at check-in by pre-booking their slot time in advance of arriving at the airport. The optional technology will be trialled for three months on selected flights departing the airport's Terminal 5; passengers will be sent an email before travel inviting them to book their personal check in time.

A number of U.S. airlines including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines have canceled flights between the U.S. and Israel's capital of Tel Aviv, according to data from online flight trackers; the cancellations have been made in response to escalating conflict in the region. Passengers should check their flight status carefully prior to travelling to the airport.

The government of Japan has announced the extension of a state of emergency in several regions of the country, originally imposed as a result of a surge in COVID-19 infections. Restrictions in Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo and Kyoto had been due to end on 11 May, but will now remain in place until at least the end of the month. Under the state of emergency, bars and restaurants have had to close or stop serving alcohol, while cinemas and other leisure venues have also been closed.

The middle-eastern airline has said that from 12 May, passengers flying from its Abu Dhabi hub will be able to validate their COVID-19 travel documents before arriving at the airport; to use the service, passengers can sign-up by visiting 'Manage my Booking' online and will receive further information on how to submit their documents. Once the submission has been checked, they will then receive a ‘success’ email if their documents meet government requirements.

The country's government has said that Anguilla's borders will re-open on 25 May, following a closure to manage to a cluster of COVID-19 cases detected on 22 April. Once re-open, the quarantine period for fully COVID-19 vaccinated arrivals will be seven days, with non-vaccinated arrivals mandated to quarantine for between 10 and 14 days. In addition, passengers must apply for entry permission; provide proof of health insurance coverage; produce a negative COVID-19 PCR test result obtained three to five days prior to arrival; take an additional PCR test on arrival, and pay visitor fees.

The government of Saudi Arabia has announced the implementation of new procedures from 20 May for the entry of all non-Saudi citizens and exempted passengers to the Kingdom, from countries from which entry is not suspended; passengers are to undergo seven days of mandatory institutional COVID-19 quarantine, with a swab test carried on the sixth day.

The government of New Zealand has announced the lifting of a temporary pause on quarantine-free travel from Australia's New South Wales (NSW) to New Zealand as of 23.59 (local NZ time) on 9 May. The resumption is subject to the condition that there are no new cases of COVID-19 detected in NSW and no further restrictions imposed by the NSW government.

The UK government has announced an updated 'traffic light' entry system for visitors and returning passengers entering England from 17 May; requirements and procedures on entry will depend on where passengers have been in the 10 days - for travel from destinations on the 'green' list a COVID-19 test is required on day two. For 'amber' list destinations a quarantine period in place of residence and two COVID-19 tests are required. From the 'red' list, monitored hotel quarantine and two COVID-19 tests are mandated. Meanwhile, until 17 May all countries and territories outside of the Common Travel Area are either 'red' or 'amber' list countries or territories; if travelling to England before 17 May passengers must follow the respective rules for each.

The government of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has said that from 17.00 (local time) on 6 May, the Greater Sydney region will be subject to increased COVID-19 restrictions. This includes compulsory masks while on public transport and in indoor public venues; household visitors will be limited to 20 and a maximum of two visitors will be allowed at aged care facilities. Additionally, from 01.00 (local time) on 7 May, anyone arriving in the state of Queensland from NSW will be required to enter hotel quarantine if they have been to any of the listed venues linked to the NSW COVID-19 cluster.

The government of New Zealand has said that quarantine-free travel from Australia's New South Wales (NSW) to New Zealand will now be paused while the source of infection of two Sydney cases of COVID-19 is investigated. The pause commenced from 23.59 (local time) on 6 May and will be under constant review during an initial period of 48 hours. This is a one-way pause to quarantine-free travel, meaning while no flights will depart from NSW to New Zealand, flights from New Zealand to NSW will continue.

The country's government has extended a 'ban' due to come into force on 7 May to last indefinitely until further notice; the restriction prevents entry to Oman for passengers coming from Sudan, Lebanon, South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, the UK, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. It also includes those coming from any third country, if they passed through any of the named countries during the 14 days prior to arrival in Oman.

The government of Tanzania has issued a modified travel advisory specifying that South African travellers will no longer be subject to a 14-day COVID-19 quarantine period on arrival. The updated advisory now specifies that it is passengers and returning residents who have travelled through India in the prior 14 days who will be subject to the mandatory quarantine, at a government-designated quarantine facility, at their own cost. However, all passengers arriving into Tanzania are still subject to several other measures; this includes hand hygiene, face masks, health information card submission, travellers’ surveillance forms, a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate from a test taken within 72 hours from arrival, and an additional rapid test on arrival.