Britons take first Spanish steps back to the sun
B‘I’ll have to self-isolate when I fly back but felt it was worth coming. I was surprised at how full the plane was’
‘I’m looking forward to hitting the beach and the bars. I haven’t booked a return yet, so I’m not sure how long I’ll stay’
ritish tourists touched down in Spain yesterday after being allowed into the country for the first time in more than three months. As they landed at Malaga airport yesterday – with temperatures in the high 20s and blue skies – they were looking forward to heading for the beach.
The return was more of a dribble than a flood – with Spaniards living in Britain returning to see loved ones outnumbering the British sunseekers on the Ryanair flight.
But the handful of Brits on the plane admitted they were delighted at being able to travel freely again, despite all airport cafés and bars remaining shut.
Ben Seager, reunited with his mother Sue, who lives in Spain, said: “The beach is right next door and I’ll be working on my tan while I’m here.”
The 38-year-old Londoner, who has been studying to become a black-cab driver, added: “I had a flight booked for the start of July but a seat on this flight became available at the last minute and I went for it.
“The flight was packed and – apart from the face masks we had to wear and the fact you had to request a trip to the toilet and be escorted by an air stewardess so there was no queuing – it was all pretty normal.
“People were having breakfast baguettes on the plane and soft drinks. That was the only time I saw people taking off their face masks.”
Sue, 68, who lives near Adra in Almeria, a two-hour drive east of the airport, said: “We normally meet up every three months and this is Ben’s first visit since January.
“I’ve been on my own for a few years since my husband died. I’ve spoken to my son on the phone most days but it’s been frustrating not being able to see him.”
Spain has suffered one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the world, recording 293,352 cases and 28,323 deaths. In response, Pedro Sanchez, Spain’s prime minister, introduced one of the harshest lockdowns, with people only allowed out of their homes to buy food. Children were not allowed outside even to exercise.
Mr Sanchez has gradually relaxed restrictions since late May, opening up the economy and allowing children to go back to school earlier this month.
Georgina White, 35, who travelled to Spain with son Damien, eight, and seven-month-old daughter Pollyanna, to see an expatriate friend in Marbella, said: “We booked the flight at the last minute when we found out we could travel. It cost £260.
“I don’t worry too much about anything in life to be honest and in any case my friend has been telling me the lockdown in Spain has been a lot stricter than it has been in England and things are more or less back to normal now.
“I’m looking forward to hitting the beach and the bars.”
“I haven’t booked a return yet so I’m not sure how long I’ll stay.”
Simon Crow, 50, from Barnes, south-west London, said: “I’ve just come out for three days with a view to maybe relocating here in the future but I’ll make sure I find time to go to the beach.
“The last time I was here was for a short golfing holiday about seven years ago and it feels good to be back.”
“I’ll have to self-isolate when I fly back home but I felt it was worth coming. I bought my ticket on Monday and it only cost me £118.
“I was surprised at how full the plane was.”
Jose Juarez, 29, a nurse who is based in the UK, flew back to his native Malaga for a two-week trip to see his family, with partner Angela Lorenzo, 27, added: “I’d say the flight was 90 per cent Spanish and the Brits were mostly travelling on their own and looked like holiday homeowners rather than your typical tourists who are going to be staying in hotels. But today showed Spain is starting to open back up after what has been a very tough lockdown.”
The Ryanair flight was one of two due to reach Malaga from the UK yesterday. Traditionally, flights to and from the UK make up nearly 40 per cent of the Costa del Sol’s overall traffic.
Spain received around 100 flights from within the European Union states yesterday, three months after the British exodus from the UK’S favourite holiday destination.
Arancha González, the Spanish foreign minister, confirmed late on Saturday that British travellers would not be made to quarantine despite Britain still making people arriving or returning self-isolate.
She said she was lifting the threat of quarantine out of “respect for the 410,000 Brits who own a second home in Spain.”
Spain is not making travellers have Covid-19 tests but are testing their temperatures using infrared cameras as part of a triple-check, which also involves recording their holiday addresses so they can easily locate and track them if necessary.