Portugal-Britain tourism 'air bridge' talks going well

Prime Minister António Costa has revealed negotiations between Portugal and Britain on an “air bridge” that would allow British tourists to dodge a mandatory COVID-19 quarantine upon returning home are still in progress and going well.

in News · 16 Jun 2020, 09:43 · 10 Comments

Britain, which is Portugal’s leading source of tourism, introduced a 14-day self-isolation rule for travellers arriving from abroad, including returning nationals.

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Comments

The whole of this article piblished on other sites mentions "British tourists feeling safe" and also "... the worrying hundreds-per-day plateau of cases in and around Lisbon."

After the selfish and unwarranted stampede of people from Lisbon and the Tagus Valley to Algarve last weekend for a five day unrestricted knees up, are we now to expect tourists from a country with almost 42,000 fatalities descending mob handed on a region with 15 at the last count?

It's all very well for Northerners and foreign tourists to feel safe in Alvor, Albufeira or Alcoutim, but what about the Algarveans who collectively have worked and are still working so hard to fight the spread of the pandemic? How many of them will be sacrificed so that Peter, Pierre and Pedro can have a good time slathered in sun cream instead of álcool gel and sun glasses instead of face masks?

By Ian from Algarve on 16 Jun 2020, 13:23

Here here Ian

By Mark from Algarve on 16 Jun 2020, 16:12

You don't need to predict the future to see how irresponsible the authorities of the two countries are! But in this equation the Portuguese are worse as for the sake of money are willing to put at risk the lives of many future victims! Touristic activities should only be allowed once the pandemic is under control and that is clear not the case in Portugal and even further worse in Britain from where droves of the vectors carrying the disease will come! It's pire craziness as of today there are no proven vaccines or effectove treatments available. Relying only on social distancing is as fluid as the air that carries the deadly droplets! Ah! The world is just mercantilism
where the unscrupulous actors sell somebody else souls and bodies for a few coins!

By Tony Fernandes from Other on 16 Jun 2020, 16:55

The Portuguese people are a robust and proud nation. They do not need the Covid19 disease ridden tourists. They will recover financially come what may.

By Mrs P McC from Algarve on 16 Jun 2020, 20:38

I am planning to come to Alentejo for a hiking holiday and am hoping that self-quarantine would not hit us - nevermind which direction.
My home country is among the safest ones (Austria) - but as I do @ home, I will not endanger other - be it portuguese or other nationalities! Please let us come!

By Nikolaus Hrazdjira from Other on 17 Jun 2020, 04:53

The UK is statistically the worst country for the virus with a higher % of deaths per population than anywhere else. Yet they think people coming from Portugal are a risk to them!
It's laughable.
I have spent the past three months in isolation in a small Spanish village. I need to get back to Portugal to collect my van so I can return to the UK. (Van broke down and is in a garage, I came here to wait, was due to fly back on March 20th). I have waited patiently, I have followed the rules, and I am still waiting for public transport to get back to normal so I can travel across Spain. Then I will wait until the land border reopens before I can get over it to collect my van. Then I will drive - alone - to the ferry.
But when I get the the worst country in the world for the virus I must self isolate incase I infect them!
I will also have to go back to working with the British public, most of whom refuse even to wear a mask in public and have happily flouted the rather lax rules since the beginning!
I'll be honest, I'm only going back because I need to work. I don't want to go. I would rather stay safe in Portugal. I will even work at the airport helping to keep the Brits out!!

By Mj Ebdell from Other on 17 Jun 2020, 08:18

People are selfish, I do not relish the thought of another lockdown during the rest of the summer months. Peoples lives are more important than thinking of tourist trade and the economy. If there was a war the tourists would not be coming, we would have to cope like they did before.

By Carol carpenter from Algarve on 17 Jun 2020, 08:50

The Algarve is actually part of Portugal....which means Portuguese people from all over the country of Portugal can travel to the Algarve whenever they want. Get ready for the summer break...
On the other hand, the real danger is people travelling from other countries again, sharing that recycled air on airplanes with other people who are from other countries, and so on and so on...

By William from Other on 18 Jun 2020, 01:41

UK is not the worst for the virus statistically, even in Europe, and the UK quarantine will offer protection from all countries now the virus is coming under control there, there wasn't any point when the virus was spreading uncontrollably.

I think it's hypocritical of countries to be comparing how much "better" they're doing than the UK, among others, then wanting to take their un-quarantined tourists in large numbers. The very cynical among us would think this "EU summer season" scheme is driven by nothing but money.

By Tim from Beiras on 18 Jun 2020, 07:52

We would dearly love to get back to Ireland but it is now obvious after the Odiaxer party on 7th June that the last thing the Algarve needs is a load of Tourists from the worst affected country in Europe.

By Mike Faulkner from Algarve on 18 Jun 2020, 10:47