We weren't told which "well known newspaper" but with a headline like that it's going to be The Express or The Mail; possibly The Sun.

Norway and Denmark have excluded Sweden from their travel bubble, for good reasons, and I understand that currently Spain isn't allowing quarantine free movement from Portugal. If for example the UK decided quarantine were lifted for Belgium, but for The Netherlands; or France but not Germany that could be seen as discriminatory and the EU would be quite correct in looking for some fairness. However despite the "well know newspaper's" protestations from what has been said on a "well know broadcaster's" news channel that isn't likely to be on the cards.

Stinks of EU bashing for EU bashing's sake - so nothing new there then.

Spain is lifting Portugal’s from July 1st I believe so that it can be done with a ceremony or something along those lines!

Portugal missing out would be a big one but that seems to be up in the air at the moment, the worry the papers point to was the Lisbon outbreak and links to Brazil which is in a bad place at the moment with the virus.

One idea could be to allow the Algarve but not Lisbon for example, the theory that as it’s locked down they wouldn’t be able to travel to the Algarve to avoid it that way?

There is talk on greek news the ban for UK will continue after 1st July..What about Cyprus do we know?

Maybe they've been watching the behaviour on Bournemouth beach and that they would be courting disaster to let us in.

The same story is on the BBC.

Separately I've seen a report that Jet2 will not fly to anywhere requiring quarantine on return. Several Greek destinations dropped. Nothing until 15th.

how many jobs in this industry has the original stupid policy cost?

As we have stated many times here.

https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/06...ack-and-trace/

Just switch your phone off when you get to the airport

Question for any tech geeks: do these 'track and trace' apps work when a phone is switched to 'flight mode' anyway?

I fear this will all end in tears. Those thick Liverpool supporter types will not be remotely interested in social distancing, because they don’t know what it means, as they head to Spain for 2 weeks on the lash.

The evidence from throughout the UK is that those who have been cooped up in a flat for weeks without any possibility of social distancing are so desperate for human interaction that they use excuse. While those who have no such excuse don't think that the rules apply to them anyway (see D Cummings).

BBC - Holiday bookings 'explode' as travel restrictions ease

Citizens of Leicester free to go to Spain for their holidays I guess?

Does Ryanair fly from EGBG now, I have!

Seems if you live in Leicester you should not be going on your holidays. Holiday insurance won’t cover this.

The following is being reported in the Republic of Ireland press.

Earlier on Monday, the chair of the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, Prof Philip Nolan, said non-essential travel outside of Ireland is too big a risk to take.
He urged people who have made bookings to travel abroad for holidays "not to go ahead with that booking" rather than risk picking up Covid-19 or bringing it back to their community.

The Republic of Ireland appears to have got the virus under control with daily new cases generally in single figures, or the very low teens. I can understand why the experts there might consider that the best way to keep it that way is to avoid foreign travel. Then one wonders why unfettered travel is still allowed between the Irish Republic and the UK, where the virus is far from under the same level of control and Ireland.

It is noticable that the government north of the border appears to be following the RoI lead rather more closely than it is the Westminster one.

Should the British tourist industry be pushing to send people to the Mediterranean and North Africa on non essential holidays putting the local people at great risk with temporary population booms. Profit driven policy should be balanced against International public health.

No they probably shouldn't, but it's surely a case of economic survival and turkeys not voting for Christmas. Of course it's not in the gift of travel companies to send people on holiday, but in the gift of the receiving countries to allow them to enter, and frankly it surprises me that countries that don't want Swedish tourists are prepared, it seems, to allow Brits to travel there.

Published on Sky News website a couple of days ago was a list of 14 day rolling infection rates of which the UK was 27.3. Sweden was 111.7 and Portugal 43.2. Countries mooted as being exempted from quarantine are all below 15 like France 5.8, Spain 10.1, Italy 6.3 and Germany 6.7. The Schengen group are allowing Portugal exemption so the UK would be taking a more cautious approach if they gave it a RED traffic light.Profit driven policy should be balanced against International public health. . That is the whole point of Government. The tourist industry is not a charity and needs money to survive, and not responsible for policing public health in overseas countries.

So are you saying the UK Govt should ban international holiday travel? Thus being responsible?

No easy answers to international travel but we have only to look at Australia and New Zealand to see what actions they continue to take. Are they wrong?

LTman
We are looking at going to be doing a contract down there next year, and enquired about tacking on some fishing to a business trip down there. I was told by the lodge that they would not be opening to none NZ/AUS tourists until next year at the very earliest. So looks like a long flight wearing masks for a 2 day meeting, if they even allow us in which is not a given as yet and I would be coming from Germany not UK.

Covid-19 declaration on arrival in UK
 

It looks as though passengers arriving from the countries and territories in the new list of "safe" countries from 10.7.20 will still have to complete the declaration of their place of residence in UK upon arrival.

As we're heading over to Germany tomorrow, I set about setting up the form through the government website, so it could be ready to send 48 hours before arrival on my phone, but Mrs ATN doesn't have a smart phone so the plan was to complete her form on the PC and print it off to hand in to Border Force on arrival back in UK. Hopefully we'll be able to complete both er and my forms on my phone, then we shouldn't have an issue.

Somewhat surprisingly, there is no option to download the form in pdf format, and complete by hand. I did check with the carrier and they said that so far as they are aware there isn't. This begs an interesting question. Many older people don't use smart phones, and won't be able to complete the required declaration before returning to the UK. How does this impact on, for example, and to stereotype, a bus load of pensioners returning from a week's trip, if say, a few of the passengers don't have the technology. Are they effectively barred from travelling?

Today in Portugal 323 cases and second Spanish region goes into lockdown due to surge in coronavirus cases.

In and around Barcelona and on the islands of Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca masks are going to be made compulsory at all times when in public areas regardless of whether there is anyone around or not. Any Scots venturing to Spain will also have to go into quarantine on their return,as the SNP is keeping the existing rules and not following England.

Happy Holidays!

And if the Scots fly from English airports and drive to and from Scotland? 🤔

Well Sturgeon has thought of that scenario.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-53336489Definitely no insurance cover on that scenario for Scots to get their money back I would have thought.

Who is doing these spot checks to verify people are keeping to quarantine, and how many inspectors are there ? I'm inclined to think it's a bit like TV licence vans.... they exist but there's a lot more bark than bite

So if they route as example MAD-LHR-GLA (seperate tickets and not through fare) on arrival each pax arriving in Scotland will be asked what their route was and need to prove it?🤭🙄

Seems a bit dubious.

I believe that the airlines supply Border Force with addressee for everyone who enters the country and the Scottish addresses will be passed on. There was a delay while data protection issues were resolved.

You still have to do the locator forms on return also so will have the details from that if needed.

Interesting article - one believes that cross-infection from touching surfaces is by far the biggest risk, the other more concerned about the virus persisting in aerosols

Scientist 1
Scientist 2Is it safe to travel by plane? As flights ramp back up we speak to two Manchester scientists - with two very different views

That's because it's just their personal opinions.
Just because a scientist (define pls) voices an opinion, it doesn't make it science.
Therefore if you're in the 'paranoid' camp you pick the opinion of a 'paranoid' scientist (or more cynically, one that peddles paranoia to get the nod on that research grant!). If you're in the 'not paranoid' camp you go through the list of 'not paranoid' scientists to listen to their opinion.
There is little science on the epidemiology - just statistical data and a 'paranoid' media lacking in balance that constantly implies that catching the virus is either a guaranteed death sentence or will give you life changing disabilties. The evidence however does not support this.

Ah but you see, how do you know that said scientist is "paranoid" and that the other is not just "lackadaisical".view You have a view sure, but actually it may just not be the correct view of interpretation. Life is great isn't it??!! 🤔🙄

I don't believe that scientists are either paranoid or lackadaisical. It is quite proper for them to look at the limited evidence and draw different conclusions. As more evidence becomes available, from analysis of the circumstances in which people actually get infected, they will learn.
On the one hand it is good that the public see that the science is not static or monolithic and can be discussed openly. On the other it gives an opportunity for those with an axe to grind to pick the conclusions which fit their preconceptions.

In Oban
Just got back today after my first long haul set of fights since just before lock down. I can not say it was a good experience wearing face masks for 7hrs apart from when eating or drinking. Long check in time even in Business, though flight was quiet. No talking to crew in galley, or bar, so not no interaction. Not as much fun as used to be, but the views and the G&T are still good, and immigration quiet at Man, though to be honest its been like that since lock down.I flew throughout into Europe, and I am on nodding terms with immigration officers now, as I guess's very regular passenger stand out more when there are few other passengers.
Glad I am home !!

The first of the British arrive back in Spain and give a lesson in social distancing while new cases of Covid 19 alarms Spain.

LTNman
Video says it all really doesn't it. I bet they would like to lock out a certain sections of the UK permanently, regardless of the drop in bar sales. I would not mind, but I have witnessed similar, though not as loud, and no car surfing, by a UK trade delegation in China some years ago after England won some football match, so it is not just teenagers who are that stupid !