Spain eases ban on arrivals from Britain

Spain said on Tuesday it was easing a ban on travel from Britain, three months after suspending flights for all but Spanish nationals and residents over concerns about a more contagious variant of the coronavirus first detected in the UK. Armed with negative PCR test results, British travellers will be allowed in Spain from March 30, the Health Ministry said - but only for imperative health, work or education reasons. The remaining restrictions mean Spain does not expect an immediate revival of tourism from Britain, hindered in any case by the United Kingdom’s own ban on all foreign travel except for work, education or health reasons. Since the end of December, Spain has allowed only Spaniards, Spanish residents and nationals or residents of Andorra to fly from Britain to Spain. There are similar restrictions on travel from South Africa and Brazil. Government spokeswoman Maria Jesus Montero told a news conference that, while restrictions on flights from South Africa and Brazil would be extended again because of concerns over COVID-19 variants there, they would be lifted for Britain.<br/>