Popular European holiday destinations including Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal should be on the Government’s “green list” for foreign travel - according to the boss of a major budget airline.

Johan Lundgren, Chief Executive of Easyjet, said he “would expect almost all major European countries ” to be put in the low-risk category when overseas holidays from the UK are allowed to resume.

The earliest date that foreign holidays - currently illegal for people in Englan d - could be permitted is May 17 under Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s road map for coronavirus easing restrictions.

Under the planned new traffic light system, people arriving in the country from a “green” country will not be required to self-isolate, but those entering from an “amber” destination must quarantine for 10 days.

Existing rules for arrivals from “red” locations will continue, including the mandatory stay in a quarantine hotel at designated ports of entry including Heathrow Airport.

Everyone returning to or visiting the UK will also be required to take at least one coronavirus test prior to departure and after they arrive.

Mr Lundgren was asked if he expects popular European destinations such as France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus and Turkey to be on the “green list”.

He said: “Yes, by the time we open up for travel on the 17th of May and if the Government continues to have the plan in place on the two-test system.

“I wouldn’t see a reason why you wouldn’t have the majority of the countries of Europe in there.”

The Department of Transport has pledged to categorise countries “by early May”.

Assessments will be based on a range of factors, including the proportion of a country’s population that has been vaccinated, rates of infection, emerging new variants, and the country’s access to reliable scientific data and genomic sequencing.