Cyprus holidays: TUI and easyJet cancel getaways as island added to quarantine list
CYPRUS will be added to the quarantine list from Sunday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced on Twitter yesterday. TUI and easyJet holidays have both responded by cancelling getaways to the popular island. This is what you need to know.
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TUI and easyJet holidays have revealed all breaks to Cyprus will be cancelled after the island was axed from the travel corridor list. As the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) explained in its latest update: "If you are returning to the UK from Cyprus on or after 4am (GMT) on November 1, you will need to self-isolate on your return." Positive COVID-19 infection rates have recently skyrocketed in Cyprus.
Latest figures from the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) show Cyprus has recorded 111.7 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in its population over a seven-day period.
This is well above the UK’s new and previous thresholds.
TUI and easyJet holidays have responded to the news by informing customers their holidays to the islands will no longer go ahead.
This is what you need to know.
READ MORE: Spain, Canary Islands and Balearics latest FCDO travel advice
TUI
TUI holidays to Cyprus have been cancelled until November 4 at the earliest.
Anyone who is affected by the cancellations will be notified and given options as to how they'd like to proceed.
A TUI spokeswoman told Express.co.uk: "Due to the FCDO’s recent update advising against all but essential travel to Cyprus, TUI UK has cancelled all Cyprus holidays up to and including November 4, 2020.
"All impacted customers will be notified and offered the option to amend their holiday with a booking incentive or cancel and receive a full refund.
"We’re contacting customers currently in Cyprus to let them know they can continue to enjoy their holiday as planned."
easyJet
easyJet holidays have also cancelled all Cyprus getaways but shared no end date.
As with TUI, holidaymakers will be notified if they are impacted.
"All affected customers will be contacted with their options based on the date of their departure," said easyJet holidays in a statement.
Refunds are available, with easyJet promising the money back within an average of 12 days.
If travellers opt for holiday credit they can rebook and easyJet holidays are advising the Canary Islands as a good, sunny alternative to Cyprus.
The Canaries were added to the travel corridor list last week.
What's more, holidaymakers who are more than 28 days away from their holidays can rely on easyJet holidays’ recently launched Protection Promise, which offers flexibility and protection.
Matt Callaghan, easyJet holidays Customer Director, said: “It’s our mission to make sure our customers have safe, comfortable and enjoyable holidays, so we will cancel all upcoming holidays to destinations where the FCDO advises all but essential travel.
"We share how disappointing this news will be that we’ve had to cancel holidays to Cyprus.
"We know just how much people look forward to winter sun holidays, so we’re pleased that following last week’s announcement our affected customers still have the option to book a break to the Canary Islands.
“We’re here to do all we can to give our customers comfort during these uncertain times so we’ve introduced a set of Covid Commitments to ensure safety, flexibility and peace of mind when booking with easyJet holidays.
"We take pride in always being on our customers’ side.”
easyJet was quick to launch holiday deals to Crete after the Greek island was added to the travel corridor list