Major airlines have published fresh updates for customers in the wake of last weekend’s Spain travel quarantine announcement.
New UK rules state that all passengers arriving from Spain willneed to self-isolate for two weeks due to the country experiencing a sudden surge in coronavirus infections.
Officials are discouraging all “non-essential” journeys to Spain, with an alarming rise in case numbers recorded on consecutive days last week.
The UK Government moved quickly to block the air bridge agreement – which allows passengers to move freely between countries without having to quarantine.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called the response “unjust”.
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The head of Spanish government is keen for tourism to continue, and is urging Britain to reconsider its decision on the basis that COVID-19 cases are contained to specific regions.
Talks are ongoing and guidelines are subject to change, but in the meantime, many major airlines have been forced to act.
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Easyjet, Ryanair, Tui, Jet2 and British Airways have all published updates for passengers.
EasyJet’s flights to Spain will continue, but holiday packages have temporarily been put on hold.
The airline said it only offered holidays to destinations where self-isolation on arrival or return was not required.
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In a statement to customers, the airline said it was “disappointed that the Government has decided to impose a quarantine requirement for those travelling from the whole of Spain since the increased occurrence of coronavirus is regional rather than nationwide.”
EasyJet representatives added: “We plan to operate our full schedule in the coming days.”
Ryanair
Ryanair is continuing to operate its flight schedule to Spain as normal.
Chief Financial Officer Neil Sorahan said: “As things stand, the market remains open, the schedules remain in place and we continue to operate in and out of Spain as normal.”
The airline’s Chief Executive Michael O’Leary has been highly critical of the Government’s quarantine measures, calling the latest announcement a “badly managed overreaction”.
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TUI
TUI has cancelled all flights and holidays to mainland Spain until August 9.
It had initially hoped to continue routes to the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands, but these flights have now also been halted until at least August 1.
The airline said any customers due to fly to mainland Spain can claim a full refund or change their holiday dates.
Jet2 has grounded its flights to Spain until August 17.
All customers affected are set to be contacted, with refunds available.
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The airline is advising customers to keep an eye on updates given how the situation was “fast-moving” and subject to change.
A Jet2 spokesperson said: “For customers who are due to travel to Mainland Spain from 17th August onwards, we will provide an additional update once we receive further information from the government.”
British Airways
British Airways said it will continue to operate flights to and from Spain for the time being.
A message on their website states: “If you no longer wish to travel to Spain from the UK, or travel from Spain to the UK, you can claim a voucher for future travel.
“If you are returning from Spain and wish to make a change to you booking, please contact us.”
Travel information continues to be updated regularly, so be sure to check your airline’s website to stay up up-to-date.
News
How will the Government’s new digital ID alternative for alcohol sales work?
Emily Sergeant
All licensed venues across England and Wales now have the choice to introduce digital proof of age for alcohol sales alongside physical.
Instead of having to hand over physical ID that contains personal information, such as names and home addresses, customers now have the choice to simply provide confirmation that they are 18 or over on their phone – helping to better protect privacy and personal safety in the process.
This means that, no matter whether you’re buying a drink at your favourite pub, heading to a festival, or enjoying a night out at a concert, you won’t need to worry if you’ve left your ID at home.
According to the Government, this new change will benefit businesses greatly too, as certified digital services are able to check that an ID is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it much easier than the alternative can, which therefore helps to reduce the risk of any fake or borrowed IDs going undetected.
Well, according to the Government, it could be as simple as a customer showing a QR code for staff to scan, or tapping their phone against a compatible reader, where staff will then receive a clear confirmation on their device that the customer has passed the age check.
This change follows a 2024 Government consultation where it was reported that 72% of respondents supported the use of digital identities for age verification when buying alcohol.
Digital Government Minister Stephanie Peacock reiterated that ‘it will remain an individual or business’ choice whether to use or adopt [digital ID]’ and that physical ID will ‘still remain a valid way’ for customers to prove their age.
“This groundbreaking change in the law will mean you do not need to carry a physical ID, nor hand over sensitive personal information such as your name or address just to prove your age, allowing everyone to feel safer on a night out,” she concluded.
Featured Image – Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
News
Manchester to host G20 Summit in 2027 with more than a dozen world leaders descending on the city
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has been confirmed as the host city for the G20 Summit next year.
It was already announced back in November last year that the G20 Summit would be coming to the UK in 2027, and plans were apparently already being discussed to host it in Manchester even before Andy Burnham became Prime Minister and Number 10 North was set up.
But now, ahead of this year’s leaders’ summit being held in Miami in December, it has been confirmed that the G20 Summit will arrive in Manchester in November 2027.
Manchester is said to have been picked to host the leaders’ summit because of its ‘cultural heritage’.
Bringing together 19 of the world’s largest economies and two major multilateral bodies – the European Union and the African union – G20 members who will be invited to attend the summit next year make up 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population as a whole.
Manchester has been confirmed to host the G20 Summit in 2027 / Credit: 10 Downing Street | Paul Kagame (Flickr)
G20 members are also some of the UK’s closest economic partners, the Government insists.
17 of the UK’s top 20 global export markets attend the summit, as do 18 of the UK’s top 20 sources of foreign direct investment.
The presidency of the G20 is currently held by the US but will pass to the UK after the leaders’ summit hosted by the president at his Trump National Doral Miami golf resort in December.
The 2027 summit will be held at Manchester Central, it has been confirmed, and other locations across the UK will also host other G20 events as part of the year-long presidency, but these are yet to be announced.
The Manc -
28th July 2020 
