'IT'S SAFER IN SPAIN!'
Defiant Brits jet out to Spain to avoid losing thousands despite quarantine and Boris Johnson’s second wave warning
DEFIANT Brits have flown to Spain today to avoid losing thousands on pre-booked holidays.
Travellers defied Boris Johnson's warnings of a second coronavirus wave in Europe as well as a forced quarantine on their return and took to the skies regardless.
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Pictures showed scores of passengers queuing up at Heathrow Airport today and Brits arriving in Malaga from London, Liverpool and Manchester.
Holiday plans for millions were thrown into chaos after an effective travel ban was slapped on Spain over the weekend due to a spike in coronavirus cases.
Mr Johnson said today that there were signs of a second wave of coronavirus in Europe as he defended the Government's decision to impose a 14-day quarantine restriction on those returning from Spain.
He said: "What we have to do is take swift and decisive action where we think that the risks are starting to bubble up again.
"Let's be absolutely clear about what's happening in Europe, amongst some of our European friends, I'm afraid you are starting to see in some places the signs of a second wave of the pandemic."
It comes as:
- 14-day quarantine was sparked by 10 Brits testing positive after Spain hols
- Quarantine "soon to be slashed back to 10 days for UK travellers"
- Spanish PM hits back and claims it's safer to be in the Balearic and Canary Islands than the UK
- Brits told NOT to travel to Majorca, Ibiza and the Canary Islands in U-turn
Brits flying out today are unlikely to have valid travel insurance as Foreign and Commonwealth Office guidelines state that holidaymakers should not travel to mainland Spain unless it is essential.
Despite the risks, travellers leaving from Manchester Airport today claimed they felt safer in Spain than the UK.
Nigel Hunt, 54, chose to fly with his family to their villa in Fuerteventura.
"We toyed long and hard with the idea of going and decided we would be safer over there," he told MailOnline.
"We live close to Blackburn and Hyndburn where cases are spiking so we feel safer in Fuerteventura."
Steelworker Dan Guzlinski, 36, who lives in Southport, Merseyside, said he was travelling to Tenerife with his family.
"If we don't go we lose our money because the holiday hasn't been cancelled. We tried to change the destination but it would have cost an extra £1,000," he said.
Mr Guzlinski agreed that his family would be safer in Spain than in the UK.
Erica Thompson, who was flying to Fuerteventura to visit her parents, said she felt the Spanish government had a better handle on the coronavirus pandemic than the UK does.
FAMILIES LEFT OUT OF POCKET
Package holidays should be refunded but those who have separately booked flights and accommodation are likely to lose out unless there are cancellations.
And even families with tour deals are fearing a ruined summer with uncertainty over whether they will get a full refund and if their trip will go ahead.
Mum-of-two Emma Fisher is due to fly to Lanzarote for 10 nights on August 26 with her partner Luke Stanley, 33, a self-employed plasterer and two kids Maisy, 10 and Jacob, 6.
Emma said: “You’re meant to be excited about holidays and you don’t know whether to be excited or not.
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“We were watching the news on Saturday and just felt sick.
“If we can’t go then we’ll lose the money because Luke couldn’t afford to take the two weeks off and we couldn’t keep the kids out of school to quarantine. It’s like a rollercoaster.”
If current quarantine rules don’t change then they face losing their £3,500 all-inclusive booked with LoveHolidays.
The family has been unable to find out whether they can re-book or change the trip, which they booked in February this year.
LoveHolidays is currently offering refunds, vouchers or rebookings for holidaymakers travelling to Spain and Spanish Islands before August 17.
But as the family are due to travel the following week they are unsure whether their trip will go ahead.
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Small business owner James McIntosh was in a bar in Siges in Barcelona on Saturday night when the government announced the immediate two-week quarantine for anyone returning from Spain to the UK.
The 42-year-old who lives in Peckham, London was on the last night of a two-week trip.
“All the phones went off in the bar we were in and everyone’s faces faded to grey,” James said.
“There was a lot of panic and everyone was trying to get an earlier flight - but of course there wasn’t any. It ruined the last night of our holiday.”
Mr McIntosh said he expected lose "in the region of £5,000 to £6,000" as he's unable to run his small business - KnitMcIntosh.com - selling premium wool to customers in the UK.
Mum-of-two Michelle Reynolds, 48, said she paid £1,000 for a week-long family holiday with her husband Martin, 55, and sons Ben, 18, and Jamie, 13, in Salou on August 19.
She was told she can't get a refund on her flights and will have to pay an extra £500 to reschedule for next summer.
"Myself and my husband can't self-isolate, he's an agency worker, he gets paid weekly and if he doesn't work he doesn't get paid," she told The Sun Online.
"I work in catering at a special needs school, so I can't work from home."
Ms Reynolds, who lives in West Haddon, Northamptonshire, called on the government to help cover the costs of cancelled holidays.
"To be honest, the government need to step up here. We're paying for the travel companies' losses," she said.
"We're a working class family, we can only pay what we can afford. I work extra just to afford to go on holiday."
Package holidays which are Atol protected will be refunded if the country is on the FCO's no-go list, even if flights go ahead.
The Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) late last night updated its guide to advise against all but essential travel to the Canary and Balearic Islands.
This extends a ban placed on travel to mainland Spain put into place this weekend, and there are now fears France and Germany could be next.
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France and Germany are still on the government's list of countries you don't have to quarantine from on arrival to the UK, but all Spanish holidaymakers have now been told to isolate on their return.
Ten Brits testing positive for coronavirus after returning from Spain sparked the new 14-day quarantine rule.
The unexpected quarantine announcement was made after England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty addressed Cabinet's "Covid-O" committee.
The "clincher" that convinced senior ministers to introduce the quarantine was when they were told that 10 Brits had tested positive for the bug since July 1 after visiting Spain.
Prof Whitty said the number was "statistically significant" and that Covid-19 cases in Spain had jumped by 75 per cent.
"It was a small number but it was statistically significant enough to cause concern," a source who was briefed on the meeting told the .
There could be relief in sight for frustrated travellers who had their holidays thrown into chaos as the two week self-isolation is reportedly set to be cut by several days.
It is believed new plans are being finalised to lessen the sting of the restrictions now in place.
The arrivals from high-risk countries could be tested eight days after landing for coronavirus, and if the results are negative they would be allowed to leave self-isolation.
It would potentially keep Brits returning from holiday in quarantine for just one week.
The new rule comes as health officials in Germany today admitted they are "very worried" about a deadly new spike in coronavirus cases.
According to the Robert Koch Institute - the state agency in charge of disease control - Germany has reported 633 new infections and four deaths in just 24 hours.
Germany has advised against all tourist travel to high-risk regions of Spain.
CANCELLED HOLIDAYS
Travel firm TUI UK cancelled all holidays to the Balearic Islands and Canary Islands after the FCO's updated travel advice.
TUI's decision runs from today up to and including this Friday. Holidays to Spain's mainland were were already cancelled from July 26 up to and including August 9.
"All customers due to travel to Spanish destinations between Sunday July 26 and Sunday August 9 will be able to cancel or amend their holiday and will be able to receive a full refund or the option to rebook their holiday with a booking incentive," TUI UK said.
The company added: "The UK Government must work closely with the travel industry as this level of uncertainty and confusion is damaging for business and disappointing for those looking forward to a well-deserved break."
Jet2 also said that it was cancelling flights to a raft of destinations in Spain from Tuesday after the FCO announcement.
Spain's new travel rules
FOREIGN OFFICE ADVICE:
- Don't travel to mainland Spain unless essential
- Brits are being advised (as of July 27) being advised against all but essential travel to the islands too
14 DAY QUARANTINE
- Everyone coming back from Spain OR the Spanish islands must quarantine for 14 days at home
- They must self isolate and give an address of where they are staying, or they face a £1000 fine
WHY HAS IT CHANGED?
This advice is based on evidence of increases in cases of COVID-19 in several regions, but particularly in Aragon, Navarra and Catalonia (which include the cities of Zaragoza, Pamplona and Barcelona).
SHOULD I GO HOME?
- The FCO is not advising those already travelling in Spain to leave at this time.
- Travellers should follow the advice of the local authorities on how best to protect themselves and others, including any measures that they bring in to control the virus.
- You should contact your tour operator or airline if you have any questions about your return journey.
SECOND WAVE
The Prime Minister said the UK has to be "vigilant" regarding the threat of a second wave of Covid-19.
Mr Johnson said: "Where you can do local easing, then of course you should, but we'll see what the review says.
"I have every sympathy with the views of the (mayor of Leicester Peter Soulsby) and local MPs, but we have to prioritise public health and apply simple common sense, and I think people also understand that.
"We'll do everything we can in these tough times for businesses, for families, for people whose mental health has been affected by the lockdown, to give them the support that they need."
He added: "The most important thing is for everybody in all communities to heed the advice, to follow the advice, not to be spreading it accidentally and get it right down, and we'll be able to ease the restrictions across the country.
"But clearly we now face, I'm afraid, the threat of a second wave in other parts of Europe and we just have to be vigilant and we have to be very mindful."
Spain has already admitted that a second wave may be underway, while experts have warned of a spike in Britain as the temperature drops.
An increase in cases of the deadly bug would then mean a second lockdown just as the economy begins to restart.
A senior member of The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies said the virus is believed to "like" 4C - possibly explaining why it spread so quickly in February and March in the UK.
A top ally to Angela Merkel warned yesterday that Germany is already fighting against a second wave of coronavirus.
It's thought millions of Brits will also have trips booked to countries not on the government's air bridge list, which means they may struggle to get a refund unless they bought a package.
While you'll still be covered under your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for any media issues faced, travel insurance policies are highly unlikely to cover you if you travel against FCO advice.
Many tour operators, including TUI, are cancelling trips as a result but whether you'll get your money back depends on a number of factors.
Package tour operators, for example, are obliged under law to provide an alternative trip or a full refund if they cancel trips.
Travel: What are your rights to a refund?
Firstly, speak to your airline or holiday firm about a refund or rearranging your plans.
You are entitled to a refund if they've cancelled your holiday but many have large delays or may offer vouchers instead.
As the FCO is advising against all but essential international travel, you may also be covered by your travel insurance if the holiday provider or airline is not helping you.
Keep in mind the travel insurance must have been taken out before the FCO advice changed, otherwise you won't be covered.
If you don't have travel insurance, you may be able to claim your money back through your credit or debit card provider.
Credit card payments between £100 and £30,000 are covered under Section 75 of the Consumer Rights Act.
To start a claim, you need to contact your credit card provider directly - has a free tool that can help you do this.
If you cancel, your insurance won't pay out
But it appears some travel providers are getting around this by continuing to operate holidays meaning it's up to the passenger to cancel.
And if you cancel you won't be covered by your insurance.
Similarly, if you're travelling elsewhere on the continent but you're worried about last-minute quarantine rules being imposed, you're also unlikely to be able to claim on your insurance if you cancel yourself.
Hotels and airlines can refuse refunds if they don't cancel trips
A separate issue is for passengers who didn't book a package and who paid for separate flights and hotels.
In this scenario you're not covered by package travel rules and this means you're at the mercy of your hotel and flight operator for a refund.
This is proving a problem for those with trips to Spain as many airlines are continuing to fly despite government advice.
Rory Boland, Which? travel editor, said: "While almost all package holidays are now likely to be cancelled, airlines are ignoring the FCO's travel warning and continuing flights to Spain, therefore refusing customers refunds.
"This forces customers to make an impossible decision on whether to fly or risk losing their money."
What are my options now the UK has changed travel advice to Spain?
British Airways: British Airways says flights to mainland Spain will be going ahead as normal so it won't be giving money back if customers can no longer travel. Instead of a refund, the airline is offering customers a voucher worth the value of the booking which can be used to rebook their holiday at a later date. This flexible booking policy can be applied to trips to other destinations, not just Spain.
EasyJet: EasyJet says flights to Spain will continue to go ahead as planned and as a result, is not obliged to offer customers a refund if they can no longer go on holiday. Instead, customers can choose to transfer their flights to a later date for free or they can accept a voucher for the value of the booking. This can be used to book a new holiday to another destination. EasyJet Holidays has cancelled all package holidays to mainland Spain, the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands from August 1, when operations were due to restart. Customers who have been affected by the cancellations will be offered a full refund.
Jet2: Jet2 is yet to update passengers on what it is doing with regards to trips to Spain following the FCO advice.
Lastminute.com: Lastminute.com hasn't announced its policy on what it is doing for customers with upcoming trips to Spain but more information is expected later today. Those who are worried about trips booked to other UK travel bridge destinations and want to change them will be subject to the normal terms and conditions, unless the FCO advice changes.
Love Holidays: Love Holidays is contacting customers with trips to mainland Spain that have been affected by the new FCO travel rules. You'll need to let it know if you wish to continue to go ahead with the holiday - if not it says it will "do our best to cancel your reservations with our suppliers".
You're also unlikely to be able to claim from your card provider in this scenario as your accommodation and flights are still going ahead as planned.
Under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act credit card providers are jointly liable if retailers or service providers are unable to provide what you've paid for - so long as it cost between £100 and £30,000.
Similar rules called Chargeback also cover credit card purchases under £100 as well as debit card purchases but unlike Section 75 these aren't written into law meaning you're not guaranteed to get your money back.
Most insurance policies won't cover coronavirus cancellations
Another issue is that even if your travel provider cancels your trip, any new travel insurance policies taken out or trips booked since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and therefore a known event, may exclude cancellation cover.
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So it is important to check what you are and are not covered for.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
In this scenario you should, however, be able to claim from your travel provider or card provider instead given you're not getting the service you paid for.
See our round-up of the travel insurers that will cover coronavirus-related cancellations.
Couple discover quarantine rules have changed mid-flight
A COUPLE have hit out at the UK government for changing quarantine rules while they were in the air travelling to the Canary Islands.
James and Natasha Allison, from Prudhoe, Northumberland were excited to be flying to Fuerteventura to spend a week in the sunshine celebrating their second wedding anniversary.
But they were shocked to discover upon landing on the island that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office had indicated that travellers returning to the UK from Spain must self isolate on their return for 14 days.
James, 30, has criticised the government for not giving holidaymakers any warning before making an announcement which is impacting hundreds of thousands of Brits.
He said: "We got into the terminal, switched our phones on, and then saw the breaking news in our notifications. The rules changed whilst we were in the air. We were shocked.
"I don't think it is fair for travellers such as ourselves. We should have been given some notice.
"Holidaymakers could then have made the decision whether to go ahead with the holiday or rebook for another time. Now, through no fault of their own, they are being told they have to quarantine for two weeks when they get home."
The couple had already changed their holiday from Tunisia to the Canary Islands and then switched airports from Glasgow to Manchester due to the coronavirus pandemic.
James, who works as a waiter at TGI Friday's, now fears he and many others face losing out on two weeks of wages while self-isolating at home.
He said: "Natasha is a call centre agent and is working from home anyway so it doesn't affect her too much, but I can't work from home.
"I will lose two weeks pay and get no statutory sick pay.
"It's a significant amount of money for people to lose out on. The company has been understanding, but I've had nothing specific in terms if I'll get any money in that time."
Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez slammed the British Government's decision to force tourists returning home from Spain to isolate for two weeks
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