Airline and holiday company Tui has suspended all flights from Spain and the Canary Islands scheduled to leave on Sunday.

Andrew Flintham, managing director of Tui UK & Ireland, made the announcements on Saturday evening just hours before new rules came into force for UK travellers.

It comes after the government added Spain and the islands to the list of at-risk countries during the coronavirus pandemic.

This means Britons arriving back from Spain, the Canaries and the Baleriac Islands face the prospect of isolating for two weeks from midnight on Sunday 26 July.

Meanwhile airlines EasyJet and British Airways are planning to continue their flights as normal over the coming days.

Mr Flintham assured passengers who are currently on holiday that they will be able to return on their intended flight home, while others would be contacted by Tui to arrange refunds or rebookings.

He said: “We’re incredibly disappointed that we didn’t get more notice of this announcement, or that this decision wasn’t made yesterday, as many Brits travel on holiday at the weekend.

“We also look to understand why quarantine has been issued for a whole country, including the Canary Islands and Balearic Islands, when the travel advice isn’t aligned (only applying to mainland Spain). It demonstrates why clear regional travel corridors need to be considered.

“The health and safety of our customers and colleagues is always our highest priority and welcome travel advice that protects those that holiday with us.

“However, the UK government must work closely with the travel industry as this level of uncertainty and confusion is damaging for business and disappointing for those looking forward to a well-deserved break.”

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