Canary Islands: Thousands of Britons face Christmas isolation

Britons holidaying on Spain's Canary Islands say their Christmas plans have been thrown into jeopardy after quarantine rules were imposed.

Travellers returning to the UK will have to self-isolate from Saturday due to rising infection rates, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said.

Travel giant Tui said 800 people were due to depart for the islands on Friday morning, with 5,000 there already.

The quarantine period will be shortened from 14 to 10 days from Monday.

A statement from the four UK chief medical officers said the change came after a review of evidence and that self-isolation for those with coronavirus symptoms remained important.

• Where can you get winter sun without quarantining?

• Will I get my money back if I can't go on holiday?

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office has yet to change its travel advice for the Canary Islands, meaning many holidaymakers may be unable to seek refunds or claim on their travel insurance policies.

The new quarantine restrictions will be in place from 04:00 GMT on 12 December.

Travellers to mainland Spain already have to isolate, but an exemption for the islands in October encouraged many to book a break in almost-guaranteed winter sun, travel expert Simon Calder told BBC Breakfast.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said there had been a "sharp increase" in the number of positive coronavirus tests on the islands.

It comes as an upcoming "test-to-release" policy will allow travellers to leave quarantine after five days - if they pay for a private coronavirus test and receive a negative result.

Christmas uncertainty

Even a reduced 10-day quarantine period would mean some of those due to return later next week would still need to isolate over Christmas.

Steve Hay, from Bournemouth, arrived in Lanzarote on Thursday evening for a seven-day break with his family.

They now face cutting it short to avoid a quarantine period that could potentially run until 27 December - effectively cancelling their Christmas plans in the UK.

"How will we do our Christmas shopping?" Mr Hay said. "I think it's shocking and doesn't appear much thought has gone into it.

"Why is it being implemented so quick, this only gives us tomorrow to get back.

"I think it's crazy and the Canaries cannot be looked at as a whole, each island should be rated."

Ivor Langford says he faces Christmas alone without his wife after she returned home sooner than planned

Ivor Langford from Worcestershire, who is currently at his holiday home in Lanzarote, told the BBC the rule change meant he now faced spending Christmas Day alone in the UK.

His wife recently returned to the UK after her father caught Covid-19 in hospital, he said.

"I have been given less than a day to fly home before Saturday 04:00," he said. "I'm due to fly back on 16 December but now will have to have Christmas without my wife."

• HOLIDAYS: Where can I go away in the UK?

• LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?

• SOCIAL LIFE: The rules when I go to the pub?

• YOUR QUESTIONS: We answer your queries

More than 800 people are waiting to find out whether their Tui holidays to Tenerife departing on Saturday morning will be cancelled, because the Foreign Office has not yet decided whether to also advise against travel to the islands.

If the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against travel to the Canary Islands, Tui will cancel all holidays immediately as this change invalidates travel insurance.

It also expects to cancel its entire Christmas holiday schedule, a further blow to the operator which recorded losses of €3bn (£2.74bn) on Thursday.

Tui said it would allow those booked between Friday and 17 December "the opportunity to amend free of charge to another date or destination".

Airline Easyjet said customers wishing to transfer their flights without a fee must do so within a week.

Test-to-release

The new test-to-release programme begins on 15 December, allowing travellers arriving in England to reduce their quarantine by more than half if they pay for a Covid test after five days.

They will have to opt in to the scheme on a passenger locator form, according to the government website.

The DfT said families could decide which members opted in to suit their circumstances but that only those who took a test after five days and received a negative result could be released early.

The tests, from private firms, will cost between £65 and £120. A list of approved providers has yet to be published.

England has also introduced a quarantine exemption for certain categories of travellers, including people making high-value business trips, sports stars and performing arts professionals.

• ALL DAY ENERGY MIX: 6 hours of motivating dance hits to keep you in the zone

• NEW PODCAST "I'M NOT A MONSTER": How did an American family end up in the heart of the ISIS caliphate?