| Comment: Tiers upon tears UK Health Minister Mr Hancock and his Cabinet colleagues, notably Chancellor Rishi Sunak, might want to contemplate that they are contributing enormously to that “awful year” with their half-witted decision – and that’s being generous – to scrap tax free shopping and the VAT refund scheme in the UK from 1 January. Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye described that initiative as “the tourist tax”, saying recently that it could form part of the “final nail in the coffin” for struggling businesses that rely on inbound tourism. Now, at least for a limited period, outbound tourism too has been scuppered. One can only begin to imagine the impact that will have on travel retailers such as Dufry and other commercial operators at British airports. And, of course, on the airports and other transport providers. The end of the year is in sight for all of us. For many British businesses it may simply be a case of the end is in sight. Martin Moodie |
UK. An already chronic year for UK airports and travel retailers faces a disastrous culmination as various nations impose bans on travel from the country thanks to the rapid spread of a new COVID-19 strain.
Overnight, many European Union (EU) states announced plans to temporarily halt flights for varying periods. As of noon UK time on Monday, those states include: France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Croatia, Finland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. Turkey and Switzerland also moved early to suspend flights from the UK.
These states have now been joined by many more, including India and Russia (see list below for further updates).
Commenting on the new strain, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was “out of control. We have got to get it under control”. He said the crisis represented “an incredibly difficult end to frankly an awful year”.
The variant has spread rapidly in London and the east and southeast of England. On Saturday Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced a new tier 4 level of restrictions for those areas, dramatically scrapping a planned relaxation of rules over the Christmas period.
“Although there is considerable uncertainty, it may be up to 70% more transmissible than the old variant,” said Johnson in a speech on 19 December.
No international travel from tier 4 areas
“People should carefully consider whether they need to travel abroad and follow the rules in their tier,” the Prime Minister added.
“Those in tier 4 areas will not be permitted to travel abroad apart from limited exceptions, such as for work purposes.”
France also suspended ferry travel (passenger and freight) from midnight Sunday 20 December, while Eurotunnel has done likewise for traffic heading to Calais. The Dover ferry terminal in England is closed to passenger traffic until further notice due to the French restrictions.
In addition to its minimum 48-hour flight ban, Ireland has said that in the interests of public health, people in Britain should not travel to the Republic by sea either.
Other countries have joined in the restrictions. According to Sky News they include:
• Saudi Arabia – banning flights and seaport travel to and from all countries for a week, extendable by another, due to the new COVID-19 strain
• Canada – banning flights from the UK for 72 hours
• Israel – prohibited entry to all non-Israelis flying from the UK, including those who transited through the UK. Israelis arriving from the UK will have to be isolated in a designated hotel for two weeks
• El Salvador – has banned travellers who have been in the UK within the previous 30 days, including transit
• The Czech Republic – arrivals who have spent at least 24 hours in UK territory will need to isolate
• Chile, Colombia, Denmark Morocco, , Finland, Denmark, and Argentina have also banned travellers from the UK
