Either because of COVID-19 or because of Brexit, some British residents in Spain who tried to travel to their homes in the Iberian country were prevented from boarding flights during this weekend. The airlines were rejecting their documents, which before Brexit were valid proof of their status as residents of Spain, Italy and Germany, although the Spanish authorities claimed that the problem had been resolved by midday on Sunday.
The ordeal comes at a time when travel restrictions are intensified due to a variant of the coronavirus that is seen as responsible for a faster wave of infections in the United Kingdom and emphasizes the bureaucratic complexities resulting from Britain’s exit from the block of 27 members of the European Union.
Both the Spanish and British authorities affirmed on Sunday that the green color certificate of EU citizens, with an identification number issued by Spain for foreign nationals, is still valid for British citizens living in Spain under the bilateral clauses. which followed the UK’s withdrawal from the bloc on December 31.
However, travelers say that British Airways and Iberia, which are part of the IAG group, have denied them boarding the last two days. Iberia said in a statement Sunday night that a communication from Spain’s border police on January 1 had created “some confusion” and was later cleared up. British Airways did not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.
Roughly 300,000 British citizens are registered as permanent residents of Spain, but before Brexit more than that number lived full time in the country without being officially registered.
Patricia Moody, a 69-year-old retiree who has called the Spanish town of Zurgena her home for more than four years, was among a group of at least nine people who were unable to board the BA / Iberia flight to Madrid from London Heathrow Airport.
Moody said she and her husband – who she said she needed to see her doctor in Spain – had to spend 1,900 pounds ($ 2,600) to get tested for the coronavirus, travel to the airport and book new tickets after being denied boarding the plane. . His second attempt also proved futile.
“Throughout all the months of the Brexit negotiation, they always assured us that nothing would change for us,” he said. Referring to the airlines and authorities of both countries, he added: “It is horrible and we suffer for their incompetence.”
After the coronavirus variant was discovered in the United Kingdom, Spain – like many other European countries – has banned all travel from the British Isles, except for Spaniards and British citizens with residency rights.
British travelers heading to Pisa, Italy, and Berlin also reported similar obstacles to boarding planes operated by Ryanair and Lufthansa despite carrying documents that have already been accepted by the Italian and German governments, respectively.
Matt Bristow, a spokesman for the British Residents Association in Germany in that country, said: “This appears to be a case where UK airport staff don’t know which documents to accept or apply the rules more strictly than the police. German border ”.
Spain has been developing a new system to register foreign residents called TIE, but it has backlog due to the high number of applications.
The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the AP that under the circumstances, both application tests for the TIE and the “green certificate” for EU citizens are valid for British residents to travel under the new health restrictions in force until January 19.
“This shouldn’t be happening,” the UK embassy in Spain said in a Facebook post. “The Spanish authorities reconfirmed today that the green residence document will be accepted to travel back to Spain, as established in our travel notification.”
However, 32-year-old Sam Dakin, an English teacher in Barcelona for the past four years, said his partner, who has lived in the Spanish city for eight years, said they needed more guarantees before rebooking flights.
The couple were denied flight on Saturday morning despite carrying their certificate and were denied boarding another flight on Saturday afternoon that British Airways had initially said they could take.
“Just because the government notification said we could travel doesn’t mean that happens when we show up at the counter,” Dakin said. “We just don’t know where they will give us answers.”
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain said that there had been an isolated communication problem with some airlines that affected a very small number of travelers and that air traffic between the United Kingdom and Spain was progressing “normally” on the afternoon of Sunday.
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Associated Press reporter Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report
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