Holidaymakers face 'uncertainty' over European travel this summer

There are fears more European holidays could be thrown into disarray during ‘uncertainty’ this summer after holidaymakers in Spain were left fuming at being told they must quarantine when they return home.
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The Government has stood by its decision to strike Spain off the UK's list of safe destinations after it saw a spike in the number of coronavirus cases.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the Government ‘can't make apologies’ for the decision made on Saturday - announced less than five hours before coming into force - that arrivals from Spain and its islands would have to self-isolate for 14 days.

Holidaymakers are facing uncertainty over their travel plans this summer (Pic: Shutterstock)Holidaymakers are facing uncertainty over their travel plans this summer (Pic: Shutterstock)
Holidaymakers are facing uncertainty over their travel plans this summer (Pic: Shutterstock)
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Mr Raab, speaking to Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, also refused to rule out rescinding further so-called travel corridors.

“As we've found with Spain, we can't give a guarantee,” he said, before adding that there was ‘an element of uncertainty this summer if people go abroad’.

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The Telegraph reported that officials in both France and Germany have warned of possible new lockdowns as parts of Europe braced for a second wave of Covid-19 infections.

The decision to reimpose restrictions on Spain left holidaymakers frustrated, with some saying they would not have travelled if they knew they would have to spend a fortnight self-isolating afterwards.

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Close to 1.8 million holidays were likely to have been thrown into chaos by the move, according to travel company The PC Agency, which analysed the number of seats booked on flights leaving the UK for Spain between July 26 and August 31.

According to The Times, trips to France, Italy and Greece were being cancelled in ‘large numbers’ following the ruling by ministers on Spain, a development likely to heap further pressure on an already under-strain travel sector.

Tour operator Tui said that, due to the change in the Government's travel advice, it was cancelling all holidays to mainland Spain up to and including August 9.

Labour shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth criticised the Government's handling of the affair, labelling it ‘frankly shambolic’, and called for financial support for those now forced to shut themselves away after their arrival home.

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