Travel ‘won’t be disrupted’ due to COVID-19 this winter, Eoghan Corry has predicted. 

Last winter, many people expected a resumption of normal service following the global vaccine rollout; however, the emergence of the Omicron variant changed that and once again countries slammed restrictions on travel. 

A year on, there is talk of a potential winter surge in Europe but travel expert Eoghan Corry assured people that things are “very different” in 2022. 

“Everybody has a clearer idea what the response might be - should something unusual happen,” he told The Pat Kenny Show. 

“All the movement has been towards opening up travel; even this month, 1st October was an important day for Canada and for Germany because masking was no longer required on flights.

“They were some of the last places that required a mask to fly to these countries.

“Everything is moving in that direction.”

A medical mask hangs in an airplane cabin in October 2020. Picture by: Annebel van den heuvel / Alamy Stock Photo

In the unlikely event that a government does decide they need to close their borders for public health reasons, most will be able to do so swiftly, as the legislation is already on the statute book. 

“Masking is the first thing that’s going to happen if things start getting out of hand - it won’t require legislation,” Mr Corry said.  

“Everybody is getting used to the use of the digital COVID cert; it’s also recognised by 40 other jurisdictions around the world. 

“So, I do think we’re in a good position that travel won’t be disrupted - certainly not to the extent that it has been in the past.” 

A COVID certificate and passport. (Photo by Davide Bonaldo/Sipa USA)

That said, it is still worth checking up on local rules before you travel, as these often differ from national ones. 

“Germany delegates a lot of the decision making to its states,” Mr Corry said. 

“In Spain, for example, you would have a lot of different municipalities who might introduce local legislation.

“The key is to keep a mask with you - even though it’s not required on most flights now, there could be a situation where you are required [to wear one].”

Main image: Aeroplanes.