New UK Quarantine Ruling Slammed By Expats And Haulage Companies

The UK’s new plan for incoming passengers isn’t pleasing British expats in Spain or international haulage companies.

The UK government’s new scheme for the prevention of the coronavirus’s entry on newly infected hosts is bad news for British expats in Spain needing to visit the UK once flights resume. Phase 2 of Britain’s coronavirus exit strategy involves quarantining all returning expats as well as tourists at UK fixed addresses for a period of 14 days. The rule will apply to all UK flights from the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol’s major airports, and those who don’t obey the quarantine rules will pay heavy fines. The ruling is expected to hit hard on expats travelling for business as well as those visiting families, especially if the family visits are of an urgent nature such as medical emergencies.

Expat professionals are already up in arms about the impracticality of the rule, with many saying they’ll simply carry on with working remotely at home until the situation cools down to something at least resembling normal life. Businesses in the road haulage sector, whether for removals or the transportation of goods, are waiting for clarification as regards their statutes given the nature of their businesses. Those using ferries as well as the Channel Tunnel are concerned about the rule’s effect on turnover, with quarantining each driver for 14 days an obvious nightmare, especially if perishable goods are being carried. Operators are considering using two drivers for each ferry trip, but those using the tunnel would need to hand over the load in a specially-created no-man’s-land.