UK urged to refine quarantine plans after Spain criticism

LONDON (AP) — The British government came under renewed pressure Wednesday to refine its travel policies following criticism of its sudden decision to remove Spain from its safe list, a sudden change that has upended many vacation plans and rocked the ailing travel industry.

While London Heathrow Airport urged a ramp-up in coronavirus testing and the U.K.'s biggest tour operator recommended a more regional approach to quarantining, Culture Minister Oliver Dowden downplayed the prospects for any change, arguing there was “no viable alternative.”

Heathrow's chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, said he wants the 14-day self-isolation requirement to be eased for people arriving from countries not on the government’s exemption list — should they test negative for the virus on arrival as well as some days after.

“The U.K. needs a passenger testing regime and fast,” he said Wednesday alongside half-year results showing the airport reporting a pretax loss of 1.1 billion pounds ($1.4 billion). “Without it, Britain is just playing a game of quarantine roulette.”

His suggestion follows another hugely difficult few days for anyone connected with travel abroad following the decision to remove Spain from the list of countries where quarantine-free travel was permitted.

The change has thrown into turmoil the plans of many British families currently in Spain or due to fly there this summer. It's also another blow to the travel industry, which is trying to salvage something from the summer.

Spain is traditionally the number one holiday destination for Britons — 18 million or so made the trip in 2019 — and resorts like those on the Costa del Sol or on the Balearic island of Mallorca are hugely reliant on tourism from the U.K.

Though the U.K. has the highest...