Jet2 has issued a travel update for travellers hoping to head to Switzerland amid the new lockdown requirement.
The UK was placed on Switzerland's list of countries with a variant of concern by the country's Federal Office of Health last Saturday.
As of November 30, skiers, holidaymakers and all travellers from the UK going to Switzerland need to self-isolate for ten days upon arrival.
However, as Jet2 addressed, there is an exception for people passing through the country to another.
Travellers passing through Switzerland for 24 hours or less whilst travelling onward to another destination do not need to quarantine.
The airline welcomed the news.
Jet2 said: "We are very pleased that The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has confirmed that there is no quarantine requirement for travellers arriving in Switzerland from the UK who wish to travel onward to another country, as long as travel through Switzerland is less than 24 hours and does not involve a stopover.
"This is welcome news for the many skiers and snowboarders who are flying to Geneva to travel onwards to the French and Italian Alps this winter, particularly after they missed out on the ski season last winter.
"We welcome this common-sense approach, and we are continuing to liaise with the relevant authorities in regards to customers planning to stay in Switzerland. We will provide an update ahead of our Geneva programme restarting on December 12."
The Foreign Office's travel advice for Switzerland notes that UK travellers must be fully vaccinated and show proof of a negative test.
Exceptions to the vaccination rule include:
- Swiss or Liechtenstein nationals;
- EU or EFTA nationals;
-
holders of the following documents:
- a residence permit, i.e. a Swiss residence permit (L / B / C / Ci permits);
- a cross-border permit (G permit);
- an FDFA legitimation card;
- a D visa issued by Switzerland;
- confirmation of notification for the cross-border provision of services up to 90 days;
- holders of a 'laissez passer' issued by the Swiss Embassy in situations of special necessity
People who are not fully vaccinated are not able to enter Switzerland if they do not meet any of the above exemptions.
Travellers must provide a negative Covid test result if they are not fully vaccinated or cannot provide proof of recently recovering from the virus.
Such individuals will need to take a second test between four and seven days after arrival.
Unvaccinated children and adolescents arriving from the UK under the age of 18 are allowed to enter Switzerland and are accompanied by fully vaccinated adults.
