Since the announcement of the spread across the Channel of a new highly contagious strain of the new coronavirus, many countries, including many European nations, have decided to cut off their links with the United Kingdom. In Europe, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Bulgaria have thus chosen to suspend, for forty-eight hours – until Tuesday, December 22 at midnight -, flights with the country, from Sunday December 20 at midnight. At Hanover Airport in northern Germany, the measure hit a group of 63 passengers returning from the UK, who were not allowed to leave the airport immediately.
In addition to air links, France has also undertaken to cut land transport via the Channel Tunnel, in particular for goods. This provisional quarantine was decided by Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, after a defense council relating to the health crisis linked to Covid-19.
In practice, all trips from the United Kingdom to France are temporarily stopped. “Only unaccompanied freight will be authorized”, said the services of Prime Minister Jean Castex. The purpose of this temporary closure, said Matignon, is to allow member states of the European Union to coordinate a response, in order to regulate arrivals from the United Kingdom.
On the other hand, “Flows of people or transport to the United Kingdom are not affected”. Clearly, it is always possible to go to the other side of the Channel. Sunday evening, in the north of France, transporters were trying to organize themselves to avoid gigantic traffic jams with trucks. “We are carrying out information work to warn truck drivers, led by police officers and CRS throughout the Hauts-de-France region, in particular at toll gates and at rest areas”, indicated the prefecture.
“Compulsory departure test system”
The temporary closure of air links did not happen without some procrastination. The Notam, this notice to airmen, or “message to airmen”, that is to say the official notification from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to suspend flights following the announcement of the Prime Minister, at 5 pm, was made wait until 11 p.m. Sunday.
Air France ensures that its customers “will be offered the postponement of their trip or the reimbursement of their ticket”
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