Couple tell of ‘crazy’ scenes at airport returning home

A COUPLE who made a last-minute decision to return home from Fuerteventura as Jet2 cancelled flights is due to go into self-isolation under the re-imposed quarantine rules.

Neal Ashby and Jordan Semmens, from Coventry, found out on Saturday (July 25) that the stringent measures were being put back in place by the UK Government, throwing travellers’ plans into disarray with only a few hours’ notice before they were reintroduced at midnight.

Because Neal lives with his two brothers who have disabilities and are considered vulnerable, he is not returning to his family home.

The couple, who felt safe with the precautions taken on the Canary Island, where there have been no recorded Covid-19 deaths, had considered staying put with the expense working out slightly cheaper than a two-week hotel stay in the UK.

However, after monitoring flights and information from Jet2 the Youtube content creator, 32, and his partner headed back to Birmingham Airport at the end of their two-week break.

Neal said: “The new rules are affecting a lot of people who were caught out while they were on holiday and were due to return to the UK.

“The Government put this into place giving only a few hours’ notice so nobody even had time to leave the destination and go home before it took effect.

“I can understand why the step has been taken but I can’t see why it also applies to Fuerteventura, where there have been no deaths from coronavirus.

“I feel safer here than at home, the procedures are very strict and wellenforced.

“They should regionalise the Spanish islands so the Canaries are separated.

“The impact of this on the islands will mean businesses potentially having to close.”

Shortly before boarding the flight at Fuerteventura Airport on July 29, Neal described the airport as “crazy busy”.

He said: “Check-in was busy but there was only one station open to go to.

“The airport is all closed - only vending machines and duty free are open.

“There’s no food outlet or drinks apart from the machines.”

The Foreign Office is advising against all non-essential travel to mainland Spain and the Canary and Balearic Islands. Travellers returning to the UK must self-isolate for 14 days at a registered address or risk being fined up to £1,000 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Travel agents have questioned why the islands have been included because they have lower Covid-19 infection rates than on the mainland, where there has been a spike in cases.

The couple waited until the last minute to see if they could have possibly sat out the quarantine by extending their stay for a month, which would have cost less than renting a hotel room for two weeks in the UK, but ran out of