A planeload of UK holidaymakers who visited Gibraltar have been forced to self-isolate - despite the territory being exempt from the Foreign Office quarantine list.
They are facing the 14-day isolation period because low-cost airline easyJet transported them to Spain after a flight delay.
Passengers returning directly from Gibraltar would have avoided quarantine because the overseas British territory is on the UK's safe list, reports the Manchester Evening News.
But the service to Gatwick was rescheduled on Monday because of poor weather conditions, so they needed overnight accommodation.
All rooms on the tiny Mediterranean colony were full, so easyJet had to offer alternative accommodation across the border in Cadiz.
This triggered the two-week quarantine when the passengers returned home on Tuesday.
Charlie Markham, 22, of Eastbourne, East Sussex, told a newspaper: "EasyJet bussed everyone over to Spain for the night and now they're going to be mixing with people on the flight back who were safe in Gibraltar."
An easyJet spokesman said: "We tried to provide as many hotel rooms in Gibraltar as possible.
"However, due to a shortage it was not possible to provide these for all customers. We offered accommodation in Spain for those who wanted it."
Spain was removed from the quarantine exempt list of destinations late last month because of a rise in coronavirus cases in the country.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is still advising against all non-essential travel to Spain, including the Balearic and Canary Islands.
