Brittany Ferries boss left ‘tearing hair out’ over UK quarantine policy

Quarantine measures came into force in the UK on June 8 meaning anyone entering the country from outside our shores – excluding the Republic of Ireland and the Channel Islands – will be required to self-isolate.

Brittany Ferries chief executive officer, Christophe Mathieu, has said this has left the company ‘with no choice’ but to extend sailing cancellations until June 28 – the first date the policy is set to be reviewed.

The policy is a major source of frustration for Mr Mathieu, who stated on the company’s website: ‘Believe me, we are tearing our hair out on both sides of the Channel. I sometimes wonder if the politics of quarantine have become more important than taking decisions designed to protect the health, welfare and livelihoods of us all. It’s enormously frustrating.’

Mr Mathieu has questioned the scientific logic of the decision – particularly in light of the UK continuing to have one of the highest infection rates in Europe.

He added: ‘The view of the chief scientific officer seemed clear to me: a quarantine is surely only effective if a country with a low infection rate applies it to a country with a high infection rate. Of course I am not a scientist, but this seems like common sense.

‘You may remember that upon first proposing a quarantine, travellers to and from France were going to be exempt. Then the UK government changed its mind.

‘Now we are faced with a three-week implementation period in the UK, but with the possibility that travel corridors may be introduced at some point. Finally there is the added difficulty of what might be called quarantine-light – the reciprocal measures applied in France as a response to the UK position.’

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With Brittany Ferries routes normally operating daily from Portsmouth to France, Spain and the Channel Islands, the company hopes that quarantine measures are soon relaxed to allow passenger sailings to resume.

Mr Mathieu said: I just hope that over the next few days things become clearer, that good sense will prevail and that quarantine restrictions will be lifted at the end of this initial three-week quarantine period.

‘While there are differences in approaches across Europe, I believe governments are converging on a late June resumption of travel and tourism and we are ready and eager to play our part if that is the case. Summer is not cancelled yet. We can all still salvage something from this horrible year.’

In addition to the new quarantine measures the Foreign Office is still advising against ‘all but essential international travel’.

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