What happens if my flight to Gibraltar gets diverted to an amber list country?

Q I’ve read flights to Gibraltar sometimes get diverted to Malaga. What would happen in these instances, as Spain is still on the amber list?

Geema10, via the latest “Ask Me Anything” at independent.co.uk/travel

A Diversions are fairly frequent on arrivals to Gibraltar airport because of the very challenging location between the Rock and the Spanish frontier – with the Mediterranean at either end of the runway. As the Aerodrome Manual states: “Adverse weather such as strong winds, waterspouts, and thunderstorms can be expected at reasonably frequent intervals. They have the potential to disrupt airport operations.”

The standard procedure is for pilots to divert to Malaga and for airlines to lay on coaches from there to Gibraltar.

In normal times, the extra couple of hours is annoying. But during the coronavirus pandemic, the potential downside is 10 days in self-isolation – because Spain is on the amber list, unlike Gibraltar’s green status. I am looking forward very much to my holiday there. But I am also dreading the possibility that if the plane gets diverted to Malaga.

I think if it were to happen, I hope the airline would be aware of the downside of the bus transfer, and recommend the pilot to stay on the ground, refuel, and proceed to Gibraltar when it is safe to do so, rather than forcing us all to self isolate.

Earlier in the pandemic, a reverse situation developed – when passengers in Gibraltar were waiting to fly to the UK but ended up being delayed overnight because of weather.

With so few hotel beds in Gibraltar, they were taken to hotels in Spain and had to self-isolate for two weeks when they finally made it back to Britain.

Other countries make allowances for short spells of time spent in what are regarded as high risk nations, but the UK has not done this at any time during the coronavirus pandemic.

Q How can Tui offer holidays to Tenerife, Rhodes and Malta when these are “amber” countries and the government guidance says not to travel there for leisure? Do they know something we don’t? 

Sarah P

A As we heard on Friday evening from the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, very few countries made it to the “green list” that allows holidaymakers to escape quarantine when they return to the UK. Among mainstream southern European destinations, only Portugal is rated green; Gibraltar and Israel are the only Mediterranean nations. Everywhere else is rated amber, demanding 10 days of self-isolation at home on return to the UK, with Turkey about to join the red list that requires 11 nights of hotel quarantine. This situation will prevail until early June, when the green list is to be reviewed again. 

I believe that what Tui knows is that there is a hunger for travel to the islands you mention – as well as Antigua, Barbados, Cuba, Grenada and St Lucia in the Caribbean.

Britain’s biggest holiday company has presumably studied the same data as I and many others have. I imagine Tui has concluded that these locations appear to meet the government’s criteria for the lowest-risk category: infection rates, test positivity, variants of concern and connecting passengers low, vaccination rates and data reliability high.

Accordingly, I can happily book a Tui package from Gatwick to Tenerife on 17 May, the date from which international leisure travel is once again permitted. The price of £400 including flights, transfers and self-catering accommodation – but you need to add another £50 for the testing package when you come home, which includes a pre-flight test and two post-arrival PCR tests on days two and eight.

The UK government says: “You should not travel to amber list countries or territories for leisure purposes.” But that is guidance rather than law. And while the Foreign Office warns against visiting most of Spain, that advice excludes the Canaries – so standard travel insurance will be valid.

Many prospective travellers will be deterred by the need to self-isolate at home for 10 days (or fewer if you pay for an extra test on day five). Tui tells customers with existing bookings to amber countries: “If you won’t be able to self-isolate on your return home, you’ll be able to change your booking to another date or destination for free, up to 14 days before your departure date.”

For people who are prepared to quarantine, though, this could be a great time to travel with no crowds and a warm welcome. And Tui is legally entitled to offer us the chance to do so.

Q I am trying to understand the new travel rules. My husband and I are due to fly from Heathrow on 18 May to Corfu. We are having a career break from work so are not planning on returning until mid-July. We are both fully vaccinated.

If our flight goes ahead, can we legally go? From my understanding, the Foreign Office says the islands are good. Or will we be fined?

Glenda W

A Congratulations on a couple of things: first, planning to travel to Corfu in mid-May, which will be fresh and bright; second, for encompassing in a single question many of the points that people have been asking for the past 36 hours since the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, revealed his very short “green list” of quarantine-free nations. As you know, it includes Portugal, Israel and Gibraltar, but not Greece.

That is not a problem, though, because from 17 May there is no prohibition on leaving the country, regardless of where you go. While the transport secretary does not “recommend travel for leisure to countries outside of the green list,” his advice has no legal effect.

Neither should your travel insurance be affected. As you mention, the general Foreign Office advice against all but essential travel to Greece does not apply to Corfu (nor to Crete, Kos, Rhodes and Zakynthos). While you will be travelling against the recommendation of Mr Shapps, your travel insurer is concerned only with the advice of the foreign secretary, Dominic Raab.

My main concern with your trip is the formalities that Greece will expect from you. You will certainly need to complete a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) and may be subject to a random test on arrival. The rules on admission will be revised from 14 May, so you will have time to comply – my view is that you will be not be expected to undertake a pre-departure PCR test if you can provide evidence of your vaccination status. That should be available on the NHS app by 17 May.

If I might look ahead to mid-July: by then I am almost certain that Corfu will be on the green list. So when you come back from Greece (neatly timed as the heat and crowds build up) I am fairly sure you will not need to quarantine. But close to your return date, you will need to see what testing requirements are in place for your trip back to the UK.

Q What happens in terms of insurance for someone who tests positive prior to travelling back from abroad, even though they have no symptoms? They will presumably need to quarantine locally. Will the insurer cover the resulting costs?

Ian J

A Cases when a passenger tests positive for coronavirus while abroad are likely to increase as the summer progresses and more people travel. It is a messy situation, with many moving parts, including the policy of the country that you happen to be in when you are diagnosed with a case of Covid. In Greece, for example, you will be transferred to “a specific self-isolation hotel” for two weeks, with the costs covered by the Greek government. In this event there would be no significant travel insurance implication – airlines will typically allow you to change flights home without penalty in the event of a positive Covid test. If you are on a package holiday, talk to the tour operator and see if they will cover the costs involved.

In most circumstances, though, there will be significant costs to a traveller who gets a diagnosis of coronavirus while abroad – including accommodation, meals, medical expenses and any additional testing requirements. Some travel insurance companies have specific Covid-19 exclusions, and inevitably they will decline such claims. But otherwise you are likely to be regarded as any other person who falls ill abroad – even if you are symptomless and feel fine.

Another aspect: anyone delayed abroad beyond the expiry of their travel insurance policy will need to talk to the insurer and ask for cover to be extended. Remember that travel insurance does not cover your failure to comply with the many complex border restrictions in place at destinations around the world. Finally, for travellers who fear finding themselves unexpectedly in a “red list” country from which hotel quarantine is required, I do not know of any travel insurance that will cover the cost.

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