A MAJOR relaxation of Covid travel rules next month is still not enough, say Stansted Airport bosses.

Manchester Airport Group, which owns and operates Stansted, has welcomed news the current traffic light system for travel will be scrapped and replaced with one red list.

However, MAG bosses say the industry will still be held back if travellers must pay for tests.

CEO Charlie Cornish said: “The simplification of the UK’s international travel system, including doing away with pre-departure tests and switching to lateral flow on arrival, will make it easier and cheaper for people to travel abroad.

“For too long, the recovery of UK aviation has lagged behind the rest of Europe.

“The changes announced will help to close that gap by encouraging more people to book foreign travel.

“But for as long as vaccinated travellers have to pay for tests, the recovery of one of the UK’s major industries will be held back.

“Government must now find a way to give people back the freedom to travel without the barrier of testing.”

The new red list-only system will be in place from October 4.

Anywhere not on the red list will be considered clear for travel.

Passengers who are fully vaccinated will also no longer need to take a PCR test for travelling into England from cleared countries.

And from the end of October people will be able to replace their day two PCR test with a cheaper lateral flow test.

This comes after Stansted Airport bosses had pleaded for a business lifeline, as they said the travel sector is the “worst hit.”

Bosses had called on the Government earlier this month to introduce a simple two-tier travel system ahead of an October review.

Government figures show UK aviation is the worst hit sector – more than 90 per cent down on pre-pandemic levels.

MAG reported its passenger numbers for August were 68.1 per cent down on the same month in 2019.