UK travellers 'frustrated' over Spain quarantine requirement

Employers urged to take 'compassionate' approach to those who must self-isolate on return

TRAVELLERS returning from Spain have expressed their frustration and resignation at the short-notice quarantine requirements.

In a decision announced on Saturday - less than five hours before it came into force - Spain was removed from the UK's list of safe destinations after it saw a spike in the number of coronavirus cases.

Joe Allen, a TV producer from London who visited Madrid and returned on Sunday, said he felt let down by the lack of information to travellers about the "knee-jerk" decision.

Mr Allen said: "We waited for the appropriate time and I specifically waited for the quarantine to have been lifted from Spain, and I absolutely wouldn't have gone with a quarantine.

The 32-year-old said he had not had any official communication from the government about the quarantine but understood its importance.

He added: "I was expecting perhaps at border control there'd be some big old posters or digital screens - or people with megaphones perhaps saying 'Don't forget you need to isolate'.

"What would have been useful is for someone who made it clear in advance - 'There is a real possibility that you could get stopped from coming home'.

"You can argue that I was naive for not knowing that, but I think it might have been helpful."

Laura Wood, 41, from Oxfordshire,

flew from Gatwick to the Costa Blanca with her family for a two-week holiday, also returning on Sunday, shortly after the measures took effect.

She told PA: "It was a bit of a last-minute disappointment to the end of the holiday but we're going to get on with it. There has to be a cut-off, I guess, and we were just on the unlucky side of it."

"It was a different type of holiday than we've had, you don't kind of expect to be walking along the seafront wearing a mask in 30-degree heat," she added.

Mrs Wood said she had experienced some "smug" responses from people at home and online after the measures were announced.

"I think it works both ways; I don't think people can complain about the quarantine necessarily because we knew we were taking risks, but I think people's joy at other people's misfortune is a bit sad."

Sophia Fadil, from Brighton, 32, works in retail after being made redundant during lockdown from her job in the travel industry.

She is currently on holiday in the Alicante area with her partner and son.

She said the measures are a "slap in the face" for the travel industry and said she would likely not have travelled.

"I think this was outrageous that the government finally confirmed it three hours before it was implemented so that didn't give anyone enough time to travel home if they needed to," she said.

Laura Martin, a 27-year-old au pair who lives in London, is unable to return to work for 14 days after she returned from Madrid.

"The quarantine is not a problem. I think it's just for people's safety," she said.

Celia Gonzalez, 30, returned to London from Madrid after visiting family in Spain.

She said: "People are upset because they were on holiday, but you take the risk when you travel in the middle of a pandemic anyway."

Employers asked to be 'compassionate'

Employers should take a "sensible and compassionate" approach to staff who may have to self-isolate after travelling abroad, the government has urged.

Local government minister Simon Clarke said the government hopes employers will put "sensible steps in place" to support those required to self-isolate.

Mr Clarke told BBC Breakfast: "We all feel deeply for everyone who's been affected by this.

"We very strongly encourage employers to take a sensible and compassionate approach to people who find themselves in this situation.

"If people are in genuine crisis, then of course there is a safety net through the new employment support allowance or through Universal Credit and advances can be paid very quickly if you're in immediate need.

Mr Clarke also said that those who travel abroad should do so with an understanding that they may be asked to selfisolate.

He said: "All holidays have to be taken understanding that foreign travel in the middle of a global pandemic which has caused devastation across the world has to be conducted against the backdrop of the government's right to take steps to protect the UK.

"We cannot jeopardise our efforts, we cannot render all the sacrifices that we've made redundant by failing to intervene to stop risk from being reimported from abroad.

"By all means go on holiday, but understand that there is a chance that you might be asked to self-isolate on your return."

Later, speaking on Times Radio, Mr Clarke added that there would always be "some idiots" who put other people at risk, despite high compliance with enforcement measures that have been put in place during the pandemic.

He said: "I think there is a very high degree of compliance. People generally have been incredibly helpful and sensible.

"I mean, that's characterised the UK response really since this began back in March.

"There are always going to be, in a society of 65 million people, some idiots, frankly, some selfish idiots who put other people at risk.

"That's the reality, yes, but it is a minority."