In a dramatic turn, Britain has disposed of Spain’s list of quarantine-free holidays. Travellers returning from Spain to anywhere in the UK will now have to isolate themselves for 2 weeks, starting on Saturday.
Just a fortnight after the UK holidays began after the close of 10 July, Spain was removed from the UK’s safe “runners” list. The corridors allow you without quarantine in more than 70 countries.
The sudden resolution wreaks havoc on travelers, many of whom had just spent a summer holiday in Spain.
This was the first time the travel list was revised. In particular, Portugal has not been able to return, others have.
The end of the Spanish quarantine exemption occurs after a strong accumulation of coronavirus cases in Spain during the following week. Especially in regions such as Catalonia, Aragon and Navarre. Across Spain, there were more than 1,200 new instances on Friday. This compares to the average of 132 in June.
“Spain has been removed from the safe list,” says the British government. “If you arrive in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland from Spain on or after 26 July 2020, you will want to isolate yourself.”
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Travel editor Simon Calder says the news is “devastating” for tens of thousands of British tourists who have booked a holiday in Spain. “Many are already here, many more expect to leave or in the coming weeks.” For travel agencies, he said, “2020 just got worse.”
Travel chaos reigns, as some travel agencies cancel trips. The impact on the Spanish and British tourism industries will be enormous. The British are the largest tourist market in Spain, making it also the number one holiday destination.
TUI, the UK’s largest tour operator, has abandoned all package trips to Spain within a fortnight of take-off. Round trips are guaranteed for those who are already on vacation.
According to Rory Boland, the revised FCO warns that tour operators such as Jet2, Easyjet Holidays and British Airways Holidays will do the same. “You will have the option to choose between a reservation replacement or a refund of the money.
“You’re waiting for TUI to cancel to ask for a refund,” he says. “Don’t cancel the holidays yourself … The FCO warning forces operators to cancel.”
British Airways and EasyJet plan to continue their flights. Many travelers are concerned that airlines will avoid refunds, leaving passengers free to cancel their trips. EasyJet states that consumers “can move flights without replacing the payment or get a coupon for the price of their booking.”
The factor is thorny with respect to island hiking. Since the FCO does not advise opposing travel to destinations such as Tenerife and Mallorca, “some tour operators may not cancel and would refuse to reimburse consumers who do not wish to travel,” Boland warns.
For more information on refunds, insurance issues, hotels and flights, read Which One? Travel tips.
Critics in the UK and Spain wonder why the government has not reintroduced quarantine for some high-risk regions, which for Spain as a whole.
And why so little notice time? Leaving many travelers between the sword and the wall. Trying to cancel the vacation for which they might not be reimbursed or moving forward, but it would possibly cause problems with insurance.
The UK government has said that the list of safe countries is an issue to be replaced, depending on threat assessments. After alarming scenes of tourists disobeying Spanish beach regulations and new local blocking measures, you obviously need to prevent you from returning infections to the UK at all costs.
“We have been transparent that we will act without delay to return a country if necessary,” he says. “Our list of quarantine waivers and FCO travel recommendation are updated to reflect the latest threat assessments.
While Spain is already off the list, the following countries have been added, opening new horizons, while others are closing. Although all of this is also subject to sudden changes.
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I have 3 decades of experience as a journalist, foreign correspondent and writer-photographer. Working for print, virtual and radio media on 4 continents,
I have 3 decades of experience as a journalist, foreign correspondent and travel writer-photographer. Working for print, virtual and radio media on 4 continents, I am also an experienced hotel journalist and writer of travel guides and cultural histories in Australia, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Borneo. Deep on the road between my Parisian and Australian bases, I write for Forbes with a globetrotting attitude and a topicality in travel, culture, hospitality, art and architecture. My hobby is to capture unique people, situations and occasions that I encounter along the way, whether in words and images. I have a bachelor’s degree in professional writing from the University of Canberra, a master’s degree in European journalism from Robert Schuman University in Strasbourg and a member of the Society of Travel Writers of the United States. Love for my wild local island of Tasmania fuels my commitment to sustainable travel and conservation.