Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary is not often seen as a consumer champion, but he spoke for many when he branded the Government’s plans for the tourism industry ‘idiotic’. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps added fuel to the fire by saying that a ‘blanket’ 14-day quarantine rule for arrivals to be introduced from next month will include Britons returning home. This was exactly what travel companies and holidaymakers alike did not want to hear – believing that it sends out the message that holidays are over. So, amid all the confusion and mixed messaging, let’s try to shed some light…
What’s the Government’s travel strategy?
This is a massively important question, given that the outbound travel industry contributes over £37 billion a year to the UK economy, supporting 500,000 jobs. Wait and see is the official policy, hence the growing frustration. The Prime Minister – on the advice of scientists – is terrified of a second spike in the Covid pandemic and wants to see how the lifting of restrictions in other countries works out. Travel companies are furiously lobbying ministers, looking for clarity and a road map for the future… but they aren’t getting either.
A large swimming pool and detached new holiday villa on urbanization in Southern Spain
Didn’t Boris say that Britain and France would exclude each other from quarantine?
Apparently, we all got the wrong end of the stick following the PM’s talks with Emmanuel Macron last week. Those travelling to and from France will not be excluded after all – but some people, such as lorry drivers, will be spared two weeks of quarantine.
I have a holiday booked in Italy for the middle of July. Is it best to cancel?
Not necessarily. Right now, the advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is to avoid all non-essential travel – but that could change. Italy certainly hopes it will. More than 3million of us seek out la dolce vita in one way or another each year and Italians are desperately keen to have us again as soon as possible. The country is not operating at full throttle just yet, but beaches finally started to reopen at the weekend and many restaurants, bars, hairdressers and other shops will do likewise in the next few days. In early June, a 14-day quarantine period is due to be scrapped.
Where else can I go to enjoy the Mediterranean sunshine?
Greece is a good bet. The country has escaped the worst of the coronavirus pandemic (with just 165 deaths, compared with almost 35,000 in the UK) and, given that it derives a fifth of its income and a quarter of its jobs from tourism, an absence of British holidaymakers will spell financial disaster for its already beleaguered economy The Greek islands have been in lock down since March but are due to open again this month. Even hotels will back in action on July 1 – but don’t expect any breakfast buffets. Sunbeds could also be nailed into the ground to allow for socially distanced tanning.
What about Spain or Turkey?
Yes. There’s nothing to stop you taking up residence at your villa and quarantining there – but watch how you go. It wouldn’t be much fun to end up in a Turkish prison if the authorities see you out and about. Remember Midnight Express.
If I’m renting a villa in Spain or Turkey, does staying there count as quarantine?
Yes. There’s nothing to stop you taking up residence at your villa and quarantining there – but watch how you go. It wouldn’t be much fun to end up in a Turkish prison if the authorities see you out and about. Remember Midnight Express.
Could your family holiday plans be scuppered this year thanks to quarantines?
If I’m returning from abroad, can I just head back to my house and work from home?
Yes – but you’re supposed to stay indoors. That being said, are police really going to keep watch from noon till night to make sure you don’t pop out to Tesco?
Can I get travel insurance?
That won’t be easy at all. Mainstream insurance companies won’t want to sell you a policy while the current FCO advice on travel is in place, and you are highly unlikely to get cover for the possibility of catching Covid-19. There are exceptions, however. One is The Greek Villas, a company that has a new policy in place with Lloyds of London for guests which does include coronavirus.
Nearly all travellers will face quarantine
By Tom Payne, Jason Groves and Matt Oliver
Hopes for foreign holidays are in doubt after officials revealed a blanket quarantine could soon be enforced for returning travellers.
In a blow to millions desperate for a summer getaway, the Government said the vast majority of those arriving into the UK by air, rail or sea will have to selfisolate for two weeks.
And travellers who breach the new quarantine rules could face an automatic £1,000 fine, it emerged last night.
The fine would be ten times that imposed for breaking other lockdown rules.
‘The quarantine period is going to be an important element in the next stage of tackling the virus and preventing a second wave,’ a Whitehall source told the Daily Mail.
‘We want people to understand that it is important and that we are serious about it.’
A limited list of travellers will be exempt, including lorry drivers, security and enforcement officials, airline and Eurostar staff, and scientists researching coronavirus.
The policy could begin as early as May 28, or possibly early June.
The date will depend on when the UK’s coronavirus transmission rate is judged to be low enough for the measure to make a difference.
Every three weeks, the rule will be formally reviewed, but according to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps it could eventually be replaced by a less restrictive system of ‘air bridges’ between very low risk countries.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said travellers from France would not be exempt, adding that an earlier statement on talks with Emmanuel Macron had been misinterpreted.
However, those returning from Ireland will be exempt because of the need to preserve the common travel area rules under the Good Friday Agreement.
The common travel area also includes Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
The announcement prompted anger among airline bosses, who have been lobbying ministers to scrap plans for a blanket quarantine amid hopes of restarting flights in mid-June.
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary attacked the rule as ‘idiotic and unimplementable’ and predicted it would be widely flouted.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme yesterday: ‘You don’t have enough police in the UK to implement a two-week lockdown. And what’s really worrying is that a twoweek lockdown has no medical or scientific basis to it in any event.
‘If you really want to do something that’s effective, wear masks.’
Last night, Tim Alderslade, of trade body Airlines UK, said: ‘Airlines are not going to operate if people are effectively told not to travel and that is going to do a lot of damage both to our tourism industry and businesses who rely on aviation for their supply chains and exports.’
Meanwhile, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic said the quarantine rule would scupper plans to resume large-scale operations in July, with a target date of August now more likely.
Airline bosses favour ‘travel corridors’ between low-risk countries and complain they have not been properly consulted on the proposals.
‘A review every three weeks is far too long,’ one senior industry source said. ‘It could devastate the industry.’