An 81-year-old man, who was turned away at an airport after spending almost £1,000 on a holiday, has issued a stark warning to UK travellers.
Garry Tate had hoped he'd finally be able to jet off to Spain on Tuesday (May 18) after three previous attempts falling through.
But when he arrived at Cardiff airport check-in desk, he was told the devastating news that he would be unable to board the flight, as BBC Wales reports.
Just like in England, people in Wales have been allowed to go on trips abroad since Monday when Covid rules were eased, reports Wales Online.
However, Mr Tate was told he could not get on his Malaga flight as Spain's borders are still shut to UK tourists.
He is now urging all travellers to make sure they check what other countries' rules are before they book their flights.
It's still unclear whether he will be able to get a refund for the two-week holiday.
Spain is currently considered an amber country, which means people in the UK are strongly advised not to travel there apart for essential reasons, but to do so is not illegal.
Mr Tate arrived at Cardiff airport at 7.30am on Tuesday (May 18) for his 9.30am flight to Malaga.
Alarm bells started to ring when only six other people were waiting to board.
It soon became clear he might not get to go on holiday when he saw the man in front of him in the queue "arguing like mad" with Vueling staff at the check-in desk.
Mr Tate said he had spent £680 on the apartment he was due to stay in for 16 days. He said he spent about £150 for return flights and £160 for PCR tests required before and after he travelled.
He was also more than happy to self-isolate for 10 days after he returned.
"I'm listening every day, listening to all the news from Boris, from the Welsh Government, and there was nothing at all," Mr Tate told the BBC.
"I got the test, my daughter did all the paperwork for me. They didn't want to know that.
"What I found so funny is that the plane taking off to Malaga had no-one on it - I'm sure it was just the pilots and staff."
Mr Tate added: "I was very excited. I just wanted to go on holiday. I'm nearly 82, I'm pretty active and I love to go away."
Although he is hoping to travel in September, he is not sure whether he can re-book or get his money back.
Flights have been departing from Cardiff Airport throughout lockdown for people to travel for a limited number of reasons - such as to provide care, to work, education, or for health reasons.
Wales has adopted a traffic light system similar to England and Scotland, placing countries on green, amber, and red lists, depending on Covid rates, with people urged to check the rules of the country of destination before booking.
Spencer Birns, chief executive officer of Cardiff Airport, said:"Airlines are reviewing their flying programmes on a global basis, and we advise all customers to check with their airline or tour operator for the latest updates on their trip.
"We continue to advise our customers to check the relevant Government guidance on travelling to and from Wales, and to also check the restrictions of the country that they are travelling to.
"Further information can be found via the FCDO and airline/tour operator websites, and links to the relevant guidance on travel are included on the Covid-19 information section of our website. For any customers who are unable to fly, we will continue to refund any parking or Lounge bookings made on our website.
“We continue to follow government guidance and work closely with Public Health Wales to keep the safety of our team and customers as our number one priority. We have a number of safety measures in place across the terminal to help customers to travel with confidence, and our 'travel safe' guidance can be found on our website.”
WalesOnline asked Vueling to comment.
