Jet2 planes bound for Spain turned back to UK mid-flight

HOLIDAYMAKERS heading to Spain were turned around mid-flight yesterday after a budget airline announced it was cancelling all flights to the country due to the escalating coronavirus crisis which has left the nation in lockdown.

At least five Jet2 planes, including flights from Glasgow and Leeds to Alicante, and Birmingham to Malaga, appeared to do a U-turn over France yesterday and returned to the UK.

Jet2, based at nine UK airports, said it was cancelling all flights to mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands with immediate effect.

The airline said: ‘We are contacting our customers who are currently in these destinations, and who are due to travel, to advise them of their options, so we urge customers not to call us.’

Confirmed coronavirus cases in Spain rose by 1,500 in 24 hours and thousands of people have been placed in lockdown. Pedro Sanchez, the Spanish prime minister, announced a two-week state of emergency as the death toll in the country reached 120.

The tourism company Tui has also cancelled thousands of holidays to a number of destinations including Jamaica, Spain, Cyprus, Malta, Italy and Tunisia. Lot Polish Airlines, which flies to UK airports including Edinburgh, Heathrow and Nottingham, has suspended all connections from both Poland and Hungary for ten days from today.