UK travel news live – Spain joins global move to ban Britons as talks aim to reopen Channel crossing

EasyJet has tweeted that its charges for altering flights have been eliminated amid ongoing journey uncertainty.

“As a result of newest restrictions, we’re making managing flights as simple as doable and have at present eliminated the change charge for flight transfers on-line by way of handle my bookings,” the finances airline stated. 

“We strongly advocate prospects self-serve on-line, because of the quantity of calls at present.”

British Airways has stated it is going to put in place a “decreased and dynamic schedule” because of the newest world journey bans, and shall be contacting prospects affected by flight adjustments or cancellations instantly.

The airline, which shall be working cargo-only flights to Hong Kong, however choosing up passengers for the return leg, stated: “Our focus is on retaining essential air hyperlinks open the place doable – bringing dwelling prospects at present overseas and transporting important items, and making certain people who find themselves permitted to journey can proceed to take action safely.

“We shall be contacting prospects whose flights are cancelled to supply refunds, in addition to encouraging prospects who want to change their reserving to take action by way of ba.com, the place they’ll additionally request a voucher for future journey if their flight continues to function.”

Norway is banning flights to and from the UK for 48 hours whereas it assesses the possible affect of the brand new Covid pressure.

“We should make sure that the virus variant that has been detected within the UK spreads to Norway as little as doable,” Bent Høie, minister of well being and care companies, stated.

“That’s the reason we are actually stopping direct flights from the UK and tightening measures for vacationers from this space. 

“That is according to recommendation we’ve obtained from the Norwegian Directorate of Well being.”

Aviation analyst Alex Macheras has stated flights will proceed to function between the UK and Spain as the federal government there has exempted residents and residents from the ban.

Aena, the Spanish airport operator, stated there have been 201 flights scheduled between the 2 international locations on Monday.

Spain is to ban all arrivals from the UK other than Spanish residents and residents, the federal government has stated.

Madrid stated it will additionally reinforce controls on the border with Gibraltar to make sure travellers complied with the restriction.

Mexico will on Monday analyse whether or not to droop flights from the UK because of the discovery of a brand new pressure of coronavirus there, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has stated.

Talking at an everyday authorities information convention on Monday, he stated the well being ministry would in the middle of the day examine whether or not Mexico ought to comply with different international locations in suspending flights from Britain.

It’s not simply air, practice and ferry passengers who’re stranded away from dwelling this Christmas – truckers on either side of the channel are dealing with lengthy queues and the potential they gained’t be the place they have to be by Friday.

Stanislaw Olbrich, a 55-year-old truck driver stranded 24 miles north of Dover after a lot of the world shut borders to Britain, simply needs to get dwelling for Christmas together with his spouse and three youngsters in southern Poland.

“I take freight to Britain and I am unable to return dwelling due to (the) silly virus. However I do not know if it’s the virus – I feel it is politics,” he informed Reuters at Ashford Worldwide Truckstop.

“It’s extremely troublesome for me as a result of I’m away. My probabilities of going dwelling for Christmas are taking place. It is silly and I’m nervous and sad about that.”

Downing Avenue stated the UK authorities was in touch with the French authorities in regards to the ban on lorries crossing the channel.

Requested whether or not Boris Johnson believed the French motion was justified, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman stated: “We’re clearly working extremely intently with our worldwide companions and are working urgently to minimise the disruption so far as doable.”

The spokesman added that “we’re in shut contact with the French to try to get this resolved”.

Brett Giroir, the US assistant secretary for well being, stated “the whole lot is feasible” in relation to whether or not the Trump administration would implement a journey ban on flights coming from the UK.

He informed CNN: “We’re ready for CDC suggestions. Final evening, speaking to Dr [Robert] Redfield [the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] there was not a suggestion for that. Each hour we get extra data. We have to take heed to the very best consultants … however as of now I’ve no new updates on that.

“I feel the whole lot must be on the desk. We have to take a look at the information, we have to look at the science, perceive the dangers after which decide. Every thing is feasible.”

He stated the brand new pressure was not any extra deadly or any extra harmful than the present coronavirus. And he stated there was no proof that it will have an effect on the vaccines being rolled out.

Whereas European journey bans have dominated, Latin American nations have additionally moved to restrict their publicity to the brand new Covid pressure recognized within the UK.

Argentina, Chile and Colombia have all suspended direct flights to and from the UK, whereas El Salvador has banned anybody coming into the nation from Britain.