Scots holidaymakers heading in and out of Scotland's airports have given mixed reactions after being told they will have to quarantine for 14 days - as the UK and Scottish governments flip-flop over corona travel to Spain.
Tourists returning from the Costas today were told they’d have to stay in the house for two weeks - causing chaos for many including some who had expected to return to work.
The return of Spain to the list of quarantined countries was branded a “shambles” by opposition MSPs - who said First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has caused confusion by letting Scots go to Spain without quarantine restrictions last Monday then changing the rules again on Saturday night.
Scots flying back from the Costa del Sol on Sunday gave their reactions at the shock decision to make them self-isolate for the next fortnight or face a heavy fine.
One holidaymaker at Glasgow Airport, who asked not to be named, said he had been in Spain for just four days on a long weekend and now faced 14 days at home.
He said: “If I’d known obviously I’d have stayed at home. The whole thing is shambolic.
"I guess people might claim that I should be at home anyway during the pandemic but the holiday was booked and how much sunshine do we get in Glasgow in July? Next to none. Plus it was the only days I could get off work.
"Not looking forward to calling in to the boss tomorrow.”
Holidaymakers only found out about the change on Saturday night when First Minister Nicola Sturgeon shadowed UK Secretary of State Dominic Raab’s move to impose quarantine when she tweeted: “Having reviewed the latest data earlier today, @scotgov is also re-imposing 14 day quarantine for travellers returning from Spain.
“This reinforces the point that these matters are subject to change at short notice & so my advice is to be cautious about non-essential foreign travel.”
Home-care manager Carol Morrison, 38, from Glasgow, cut her holiday short to get back due to the quarantine.
As she arrived at Glasgow Airport, she said: “I had been working right through lockdown and was desperate to get a break but I needed to get back because my work didn’t want me to get stuck.
“Obviously, I’m disappointed to lose part of my holiday because the small village I was in had no cases. I just had to get home.”
Edward James, 26, from Aberdeen, and his Spanish girlfriend, Reyes Eonzalez, 27, also arrived back in Glasgow on the same flight as Carol.
“We were out visiting my family that I hadn’t seen in seven months,” Reyes said. “We had a great time going to the beach and enjoying the great weather. We were trying to keep safe. We understand the quarantine situation is fluid and it’s a price worth paying.”
Edward added: “If we all work as a team it will be better to everybody obviously sticking to the rules. Spain is under control and I’ve no worries.
"Grenada is fine and open for business. It’s up in Madrid where there are problems with hotspots. In the South everything is fine. I’m just looking forward to being back in Scotland.”
Scots holidaymaker Arran Hannah arrived in Tenerife from Edinburgh Airport with her family on Friday - believing that quarantine would not be a problem.
She found out about the return of the quarantine rules from the Tweet posted by the First Minister.
She said: “It was a bit of a shock because it had just been lifted.
“We will just have to make the best of it.
“We are out here now and there is not really anything we can do about it.”
Sarah Moir flew from Spain to Scotland on Saturday, after spending nearly two weeks visiting family.
She arrived at Edinburgh Airport hours before the Scottish Government confirmed it was reinstating 14 day quarantine for people arriving from the country.
Sarah said: “I flew out to Spain on the 12th of July while the quarantine was still in effect. On my return I was going to self-isolate with my sister who was also out there with me.
“However, my original flight back was on Tuesday, the 21st, so as the government announced they were lifting quarantine I changed my flight to come back on Saturday so that I had an extra four days in Spain and wouldn’t have to self-isolate.
“I was incredibly relieved but also a little surprised when it was announced it was being lifted.
"I was more expecting only parts of Spain to be lifted such as the Balearics where I was and the Canary Islands where the virus is much more in control than the mainland.
“I still consider myself incredibly lucky to have come back when I did because I’d also considered booking the flight for the Sunday because they were both the same price but I decided to come back on the Saturday just so I could get home to my partner.”
Francisco Montez, 45, a hotel worker from Govan, Glasgow, hopped on a Ryanair flight to Spain yesterday to see his family after being laid off by the Hilton chain.
Travelling with his wife Maria, 45, and their daughters Paola, 10, and Joanna, 13, he arrived at Glasgow airport to leave for his journey to Cadiz.
As he checked in at Glasgow Airport, he told The Record: “Because I was laid off I thought I would take this opportunity to go and see my family in Cadiz where I have two other daughters and reunite the family and see the grandparents.
“I am nervous and have some reservations.
“I’m confident I’ll come back and if I have to quarantine when I come back to Glasgow, I’m willing to do it to be able to see my family.”
Martin Lewis of the consumer website Money Saving Expert had no words of comfort to give Scots travellers returning from Spain from Sunday.
He said: “If you’re on holiday and you’re due to come back and you have to quarantine, is there any cover for the fact that you’re having to quarantine from travel insurance? No, is the pretty plain answer for almost all mainstream policies. Effectively, you’ll have to come back and quarantine and that will likely cause many people difficulties. Speak to your employer. Maybe you can work from home.
“If you are due to go and your flight and holiday has been cancelled, in some ways that is the best scenario here because it means you’ll be entitled to a full refund.
“Many package holidays are being cancelled, if not most of them. Some flights are being cancelled and you should be getting a full refund.”
Scots holidaymakers returning from Spain who don’t self-quarantine will face fines of £480, rising to up to £5,000 for persistent offenders.
The measure could catch out returning tourists who travelled to Spain in the short window when quarantine was lifted.
While travellers returning from Spain are now obliged to self-quarantine at home, it is not clear how this will be policed.
Tourists who have left their details with Border Force officials at a Scottish airport could be visited at home.
The Scottish government said: “All international travellers arriving into Scotland, apart from exemptions, must complete a passenger locator form and provide evidence that they have done so on arrival in the UK if requested to do so by a Border Force official.
“Individuals who do not complete the form and present it when asked on arrival may be fined £60. The fine can be doubled for each subsequent offence up to a maximum of £480.”
On Thursday, the Spanish health ministry reported 971 new daily infections, the biggest daily increase since Spain’s lockdown ended.
Passengers returning to Scotland from Spain will have to drive in their own car to their home if possible. If they don’t provide an address, the government will arrange accommodation at the traveller’s expense.
Once at their destination, they must not use public transport or taxis during the quarantine period. They must also not go to work, school, or public areas, or have visitors.
Nor are they allowed to go out to buy food, or other essentials, if they can rely on others.
People returning from overseas will not be automatically eligible for statutory sick pay during this period, unless they meet the required conditions - for example displaying coronavirus symptoms.
