Travel companies cancel holidays to Spain

BRITISH TRAVEL firms have started cancelling trips to Spain following the Government’s sudden decision to reimpose strict quarantine rules at short notice on travellers returning from the popular holiday destination.

Companies have been forced to react to the decision announced on Saturday night to ensure their customers do not lose travel insurance. But some firms say they will continue operating flights and holidays to areas in the country that have not been heavily affected by Covid-19.

TUI reacted by cancelling all holidays to mainland Spain for two weeks. The firm said all those going to the Balearic and Canary Islands could still travel as planned from today, although flights before then were cancelled. It also said holidaymakers currently in the country should continue with their holiday.

Meanwhile, Jet 2 has advised customers to arrive for their flights as normal and it will continue to operate its scheduled programme with flights to and from mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands.

Ministers announced on Saturday that holidaymakers who had not returned from Spain and its islands by midnight would be forced to quarantine for 14 days after Covid-19 second wave fears saw the country struck off the UK’s safe list.

But Spain said it was in conversation with the UK about exempting the Canary and Balearic islands, which include Ibiza and Mallorca, from the requirement to self-isolate for two weeks.

Kelly Cookes, leisure director at the Advantage Travel Partnership – a consortium of travel agents – said the sudden removal of Spain from the exemption list was “devastating news.

CHANGES TO travel quarantine rules covering Spain are “yet another blow” to British holidaymakers – who will see their plans thrown into “chaos”, British Airways has said.

In a statement, the airline said its flights were continuing to operate, but it was “disappointed” the Government was now advising against all but essential travel to mainland Spain and re-introducing a two-week self-isolation requirement on those returning from the southern European country.

It said the move was “throwing thousands of Britons’ travel plans into chaos”, adding: “This is sadly yet another blow for British holidaymakers and cannot fail to have an impact on an already troubled aviation industry.”

Following the Government’s announcement on Saturday, the UK’s biggest tour operator Tui said it had cancelled all flights due to depart to mainland Spain and the Canary Islands yesterday.

Andrew Flintham, managing director of TUI UK & Ireland, said: “We’re incredibly disappointed that we didn’t get more notice of this announcement, or that this decision wasn’t made yesterday, as many Brits travel on holiday at the weekend.”

He said the company was looking to understand why the quarantine rule applies to people returning from the whole of Spain, while current Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advice against all but essential travel only applies to the mainland.

Mr Flintham added: “It demonstrates why clear regional travel corridors need to be considered.

“The health and safety of our customers and colleagues is always our highest priority and welcome travel advice that protects those that holiday with us.

“However, the UK Government must work closely with the travel industry as this level of uncertainty and confusion is damaging for business and disappointing for those looking forward to a well-deserved break.”

Another airline, easyJet, also expressed its disappointment that the Government had shut down the travel corridor with Spain because “the increased occurrence of coronavirus is regional rather than nationwide”.

In a statement, easyJet said it planned to operate a full schedule “in the coming days”, adding that customers no longer wishing to travel could seek to transfer their flights without a fee or receive a voucher.

Airlines UK, the industry association representing UK-registered carriers, said in a statement that “public health must be the priority” but that the Government’s change showed “why regional travel corridors need to be considered”.