Couple’s anniversary holiday is marred by quarantine news
NORTHUMBERLAND COUPLE DISCOVER RULES CHANGED MID-AIR ON FLIGHT TO SPAIN
A Northumberland couple have hit out at the UK government for changing quarantine rules while they were in the air travelling to the Canary Islands.
James and Natasha Allison, from Prudhoe, were excited to be flying to Fuerteventura to spend a week in the sunshine celebrating their second wedding anniversary.
But they were shocked to discover upon landing on the island that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) had indicated that travellers returning to the UK from Spain must self isolate on their return for 14 days.
James, 30, has criticised the government for not giving holidaymakers any warning before making an announcement which is impacting hundreds of thousands of Brits.
He said: “We got into the terminal, switched our phones on, and then saw the breaking news in our notifications. The rules changed whilst we were in the air. We were shocked.
“I don’t think it is fair for travellers such as ourselves. We should have been given some notice.
“Holidaymakers could then have made the decision whether to go ahead with the holiday or rebook for another time. Now, through no fault of their own, they are being told they have to quarantine for two weeks when they get home.”
The couple had already changed their holiday from Tunisia to the Canary Islands and then switched airports from Glasgow to Manchester due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Canary Islands has had 2,483 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 162 deaths. But a recent spike in cases in mainland Spain has now led to the FCO advising against all non-essential travel to the Balearic and Canary Islands in Spain.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We have considered the overall situation for British nationals travelling to and from the Balearic and Canary Islands, including the impact of the requirement to self-isolate on return to the UK, and concluded that we should advise British nationals against all non-essential travel to the whole of Spain.”
James, who works as a waiter at TGI Friday’s in the Metrocentre, now fears he and many others face losing out on two weeks of wages while self isolating at home.
He said: “Natasha is a call centre agent and is working from home anyway so it doesn’t affect her too much, but I can’t work from home as I work at TGI Friday’s in the Metrocentre.
“I will lose two week’s pay and get no statutory sick pay.
“It’s a significant amount of money for people to lose out on. The company has been understanding, but I’ve had nothing specific in terms if I’ll get any money in that time.”
Downing Street has said holidaymakers who miss out on work because of the quarantine period may be eligible for Universal Credit or employment support allowance but not statutory sick pay.
With two changes in the advice since travelling to Spain, the couple are anxious of any further developments before their TUI flight home to the UK on Saturday.
It comes after both Jet2 cancelled all flights and holidays to the Balearic and Canary Islands in Spain and advised customers in the UK to not travel to the airport.
TUI has also axed all holidays from Tuesday to Friday after the FCO changed its advice. It had already suspended all holidays to mainland Spain up to and including August 9.
James said: “It’s just dreadful timing. It’s now hanging over our heads before we head back. We’re trying not to think about it as we can’t do anything about it now. It’s just tough luck.
“TUI has said our flight is unaffected for our return journey but obviously that could change between now and Saturday.
“I feel like the islands should be treated differently to mainland Spain. I would even be up for being tested on our arrival back and isolate for two days until the results come back. At least it wouldn’t be two weeks.”
The announcement came after the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said decisions on border measures and travel advice “can be changed rapidly if necessary to help stop the spread of the disease”.