British holidaymakers’ plans for a summer holiday in Spain were thrown into confusion today as the country said it was not discussion the creation of an ‘air bridge’ for tourists with Britain.
The UK Government is expected to drop its 14-day quarantine policy by the end of the month in favour of bespoke deals to allow two-way travel to low-risk countries, it was claimed today.
Travel company bosses in Britain say they have been assured that the plans will be altered within weeks, with two legal challenges already filed against ministers.
But Madrid today said it was only speaking to other EU states about a bloc-wide agreement for travel from external nations.
A source told the Reuters news agency it would only introduce its own rules if no such agreement could be reached.
This raises questions about the possibility of opening up the Costas to UK tourists in a matter of weeks.
Passengers arrive at London Heathrow Airport yesterday as new quarantine measures come in
Home Secretary Priti Patel speaks in the House of Commons in London yesterday as she comes under pressure over the Government’s new quarantine scheme for UK arrivals
Spain, severely affected by the pandemic but which now seems to have it under control, has taken a stricter approach than other countries and only plans to start opening its borders to foreign visitors on July 1.
Britain, whose coronavirus death toll is the highest in Europe, introduced a 14-day quarantine for international arrivals on Monday.
Portugal has said it is discussing a travel corridor that would exempt British visitors returning from Portugal from that quarantine period, facilitating tourism.
But Spain has no plans to do the same, the foreign ministry source said.
‘Spain has called for a common (European Union-wide) approach to opening the borders. If this is not done, it will establish its own criteria,’ the source said.
‘The UK is in a period of transition. This means that they will receive the same treatment as EU and Schengen countries for the opening (of borders to tourists), unless they stay out of it because of the epidemiological situation.’
Meanwhile, Spain will allow about 6,000 tourists from Germany, where the pandemic is largely under control, to fly to the Balearic Islands from June 15, two weeks before the country reopens its borders, to test how to restart tourism
The Foreign Office is also thought to be close to dropping its advice against all non-essential travel around the world for Britons – and could do so by the end of June.
It comes as budget airline Ryanair revealed bookings for flights to Mediterranean destinations had doubled compared to a week ago, reported The Times.
All UK arrivals – including Britons – must now fill in an online ‘contact locator’ form setting out where they will live for a fortnight. Refusal to do so risks a £1,000 fine.
But Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary has labelled it ‘worse than useless’ amid claims police will take ‘no immediate action’ even if a passenger gives a false address.
One legal challenge has already been launched by British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair in a joint action which plans to ask the High Court for a judicial review.
A second has also been put forward in a pre-action letter by lawyers on behalf of Simon Dolan, owner of Southend-based charter airline Jota Aviation.
His team have written to Home Secretary Priti Patel and pointed out that even the Government’s own scientific experts had not supported the quarantine plans.
And a third challenge is now being considered by the new group Quash Quarantine which represents more than 500 hotels, travel and hospitality firms.
Its spokesman Paul Charles, who is also chief executive of the travel consultancy The PC Agency, told MailOnline: ‘The Quash Quarantine group, consisting of over 500 travel and hospitality companies seeking to overturn the recently-introduced quarantine measures, has received private assurances from senior Government sources that travel corridors will be in place from June 29.
‘We urge the government to signal to the travel industry publicly and urgently that this is the case, as well as amend FCO advice on non-essential travel.
‘We are still considering our options regarding legal action, including whether to join BA’s claim or launch our own action, but would prefer that June 29 is confirmed as soon as possible for the start of travel corridors.
‘The industry needs urgent visibility on a timetable for travel to begin again.’
But the plans do not appear to be putting off British travellers, with Ryanair reporting a large increase in bookings among UK families.
Passengers gather near passport control at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 arrivals hall yesterday
Passengers abide by the social distancing measures as they queue at the Eurostar terminal at London St Pancras yesterday
Mr O’Leary said: ‘Our bookings doubled this weekend compared with the previous weekend; mainly with UK families booking holidays to go to the Canaries, the Algarve, the Balearics, Malaga and Italy.
‘Most people in the UK know that the quarantine is completely bonkers and useless. Most are gambling, in my view correctly, that the quarantine has so little credibility that it will be removed before the end of June anyway.’
One border source said yesterday: ‘It’s been a complete farce. The vast majority of passengers have not filled in forms in advance.
‘Those who have filled it in are given an online reference number, but immigration officers can’t log in to check whether that form has been filled in properly.
‘It’s been impossible to socially distance in the Heathrow arrivals halls because so many people have been milling around.
‘There’s been trouble at Heathrow and at Calais and Coquelles, where the UK border checks take place for the Channel Tunnel. It’s a mess.’
The scheme was further undermined last night as the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) issued guidance which revealed the light touch forces will adopt when checking up on travellers during quarantine.
Even if a false address appears to have been given, police should take ‘no immediate further action’, the guidelines say, and the case simply referred to the UK Border Force.
If police visit an address where someone is supposed to be self-isolating and there is no answer, the NPCC says further visits are ‘suggested’ but there should again be ‘no immediate further action by police’. That case should be referred to Public Health England.
And if police discover someone at a different address to the one they gave on their form, they should only remove the person to their given address ‘as a last resort’. An NPCC spokesman said most of the responsibility fell to Public Health England, adding: ‘Police have a limited role in quarantine regulations.’
In the event of a case being referred by PHE to the police for action, he added: ‘We will seek to establish the circumstances and we will continue our approach of engaging, explaining, encouraging and, only as a last resort, enforcing.’
Passengers arriving at Stansted on a flight from Eindhoven in the Netherlands criticised the measures yesterday.
Ali Gurlek, 30, a software developer from London who spent the weekend visiting friends in the Netherlands, criticised the quarantine rule as lacking in ‘common sense’.
He said he had to take public transport from the airport to his home where he will self-isolate, adding: ‘If we have it then it’s going to spread that.’
‘It doesn’t look very common sense,’ he added.
At the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras, Sylvain Preumont, 50, a business manager who makes a weekly trip from Paris, said as a frequent traveller he was exempt but that he was no fan of the policy.
‘It makes no sense,’ he said. ‘This was invented to reassure people… then we realise that it’s not feasible.’
A sign outlining ‘temperature check trial’ measures at Heathrow Airport yesterday ‘to aid detection of elevated body temperatures in response to the Covid-19 pandemic’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said border measures were needed but quarantine was a ‘blunt instrument’.
‘We have got the situation where – weeks ago – other countries put quarantine in and we didn’t,’ he told LBC Radio. ‘Now as everybody’s lifting it we’re putting it in. I would much prefer to see some sort of testing regime at the airport.’
A Government spokesman said: ‘The most efficient way to get through the border is to fill out the form before travelling here.
‘There are also devices at ports for passengers to fill in the form on arrival, to make sure that people who may not be aware are still able to comply.’
Meanwhile, a leaked Home Office document seen by The Daily Telegraph reportedly said there was no method for officials to ensure a person’s details are ‘genuine’.
Shadow Home Office minister Conor McGinn told the Commons that ‘scientists say the quarantine introduced (yesterday) has come too late’.
He added: ‘The police say it’s unenforceable. The tourism and aviation industry say it will ruin them and the Home Secretary’s own department has said it is very hard to imagine how it will practically work.’
Ms Patel stood by the policy, reiterating that the approach to border measures was consistent and appropriate.
Meanwhile one travel firm said many holidaymakers are planning staycations this year because they see foreign trips as ‘too risky’ and want to splash out in 2021.
Kuoni has reported a ‘clear upturn’ in demand for holidays next year, with more than half of customers heading to the white sand beaches of the Maldives.
The company has also seen strong sales for Mauritius, Thailand, Spain and India.
Saturday was Kuoni’s best day for bookings since the coronavirus lockdown began in March.
UK campsites are experiencing a surge in bookings, while Auto Trader recently said interest in online adverts for caravans was up nearly a fifth compared with the same time last year.
How an autonomous powerchair being trialled in Japan could help with social distancing at airports
An autonomous mobility system that works like a wheelchair without anyone pushing it is scuttling around a Tokyo airport to help with social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The personal mobility machine seats one person and runs on its own without crashing, even when people jump out unexpectedly, for about 660 yards on a pre-programmed route at Haneda International Airport.
Satoshi Sugie, the chief executive of Whill, the company behind the technology, said robotics and autonomous driving technology that reduce the need for human labour are a good match for these times of ‘living with’ the coronavirus.
An autonomous mobility system that works like a wheelchair without anyone pushing it is scuttling around a Tokyo airport as part of a trial to help with social distancing
‘We are rapidly developing our business in order to help restore a world where people can enjoy moving around with peace of mind,’ he said.
The ride lasts just several minutes, traveling from security clearance to the boarding gate at a maximum speed of 2mph.
But hopes are high that the technology, which uses sensors and cameras, can help in other places, such as hospitals, parks and shopping centers.
Tests have been carried out at various airports since last year, including John F Kennedy International Airport in New York, and the company hopes to introduce it at airports around the world.
The person on the machine can start or stop it through a tablet controller. It runs on lithium-ion batteries and returns automatically to where it started.
Anyone needing help walking long distances can use it at Terminal One at Haneda, for what’s referred to as that ‘last-mile mobility,’ according to WHILL, based in Yokohama, Japan.
Although vacuum cleaners, machines carrying things and talking robots are already moving about at airports and other places, personal mobility that runs autonomously is still relatively rare in public places.
Holiday deals for early July: Where can couples go for under £1,000?
LANZAROTE, SPAIN – £688 for two people for seven nights
You can go on a seven-night stay at the three-star Cinco Plazas Apartments in Lanzarote for just £688 for two people via Tui – a deal which is 41 per cent off.
The self-catering hotel at Puerto del Carmen has two swimming pools and a four-star TripAdvisor average rating. It is a ten-minute walk to the beach. The price includes return flights from London Gatwick, leaving on Monday, June 6.
Cinco Plazas Apartments at Puerto del Carmen in Lanzarote, Spain
CORFU, GREECE – £732 for two people for seven nights
Britons can head to the Lagoon Studios and Apartments in Corfu in a seven-night deal via Tui for £732 for two people, which is 23 per cent off.
The self-catering hotel is only two star but does have a 4.5-star TripAdvisor average, and is located a five-minute walk from a sandy beach. The price includes return flights from London Stanstead, leaving on Monday, July 6.
Lagoon Studios and Apartments in Corfu, Greece
BOURGAS, BULGARIA – £917 for two people for seven nights
A double room with pool view and balcony at the four-star Best Western Plus Premium Inn Hotel and Casino at Sunny Beach in Bourgas for £917 via Tui.
Bed and breakfast is included for two people for seven nights along with return flights from London Gatwick, leaving on Monday, July 6. The hotel has a 4.5-star TripAdvisor average and is a five-minute walk from the beach.
Best Western Plus Premium Inn Hotel and Casino at Sunny Beach in Bourgas, Bulgaria
SOUSSE, TUNISIA – £940 for two people for seven nights
A couple can head to the all-inclusive Marhaba Salem Hotel in Tunisia for £940, including return flights from London Stansted leaving on Friday, July 3.
The three-star hotel in the resort of Sousse has an average TripAdvisor rating of four stars and has a sandy beach in front of its gardens, and guests can enjoy the use of three pools and castle-themed waterslides.
Marhaba Salem Hotel in Sousse, Tunisia
GRAN CANARIA, SPAIN – £958 for two people for seven nights
A seven-night stay at the four-star Playa Feliz in Gran Canaria – described as a ‘peaceful seafront spot’ – is available via Tui for £958 for two people.
The price includes return flights from London Gatwick, leaving on Monday, July 6. The 168-room hotel in Bahia Feliz is self-catering but features a pool and is located a five-minute walk from the sand and shingle beach.
Playa Feliz in Gran Canaria, Spain