Tour operator Tui will repatriate some 2,000 Belgian tourists from all regions of Spain except Tenerife from 3 to 10 September, spokesman Piet Demeyere said on Thursday.
Belgium's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that as of 4 September the whole of Spain, with the exception of the island of Tenerife, would be considered a red zone. All tourist and other non-essential travels to Spain will therefore be banned from that date.
Tui has some 6,600 Belgian tourists throughout Spain, 2,000 of whom have booked a package holiday and 4,600 of whom only have a plane ticket. The tour operator is going to pick up all tourists from all regions of Spain, except Tenerife, between Thursday and 10 September. "All flights will continue as planned. So everyone can return next week," explains Demeyere.
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As a tour operator, Tui is responsible for the return of all package travellers. "All tourists who have booked a package holiday and who would stay in Spain longer than 10 September must interrupt their trip and we will look for a place on all scheduled flights to return to Belgium,” Demeyere said.
For tourists who had only booked a flight and would stay longer than 10 September, Tui will allow them to stay on the existing scheduled flights until 10 September. There are still seats left. They will have to contact the airline themselves.
From 11 September onwards, Tui will no longer fly to Spain until at least 22 September. What happens after that will depend on the new advice of Foreign Affairs.
The Brussels Times
