Singapore and The Philippines are the latest countries to ban UK flights

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Two more countries have imposed travel bans on the UK ahead of Christmas Eve after the identification of a new coronavirus strain in Britain.

Singapore will ban entry to UK travellers from Wednesday night. Health officials in the Philippines say they will suspend flights from the UK from Christmas Eve until December 31.

It brings the total number of countries restricting entry to UK travellers to 55. 

The latest bans could also have a wider impact on British travellers, with Singapore a popular stop-off for those flying from the UK to Australia.

Singapore health officials say transit from the UK through the Southeast Asian city-state will not be allowed under the new travel ban.

The ministry of health website said: ‘All long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history to the UK within the last 14 days will not be allowed entry into Singapore, or transit through Singapore.

‘This will also apply to all those who had obtained prior approval for entry into Singapore.’

Transit through the Philippines for UK travellers is also banned.

It comes after Greece and Cyprus both said they will require passengers from the UK to have three separate Covid tests to gain entry to stem the spread of a mutant strain of the virus – while all other EU member states have slammed their doors on Britain.

Both nations require evidence of a negative PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test prior to arrival, followed by a rapid lateral test after landing and then a third after a period of self-isolation.  

PCR tests need to be processed in a lab, while lateral flow tests can deliver results in 15 minutes but are less accurate. 

This is particularly the case when people administer the test themselves, as they often do not push the swab deep enough to get enough of a sample.

Greece and Cyprus are the only EU members not to have imposed blanket bans on UK travellers.  

Yesterday the European Commission advised all other 25 states to lift their embargo on trains, planes and lorries from Britain to avoid further disruption. 

However, as the Commission’s statement is only advisory, individual countries still have the option of continuing with their own blanket bans. 

European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said: ‘Given the current uncertainties and in light of the precautionary principle, member states should take co-ordinated action to discourage non-essential travel between the UK and the EU.

‘At the same time, blanket travel bans should not prevent thousands of EU and UK citizens from returning to their homes.

‘While precautions are needed to contain the spread of the new coronavirus variant, with today’s recommendation, we therefore ensure that the restrictions are co-ordinated and provide for the necessary exemptions for citizens and residents returning home and other essential travellers.’

EU Transport Commissioner Adina Valean added: ‘Within the EU, it is crucial that transport workers are exempted from any restrictive measures, as quarantine and testing.’

Emanuel Macron was the first EU leader to ban travellers from the UK on Sunday, putting in place a 48-hour embargo on all travel. This included freight lorries at Dover, causing disruption to cross-Channel trade – including fresh food supplies. 

Other EU countries quickly halted UK flights, as data suggested the new variant could be up to 70 per cent more infectious. Dozens of countries around the world followed Europe’s lead – but the US is allowing British visitors with a negative Covid test. 

The EU Commission announced the outcome of its talks yesterday afternoon, after countries including France and Germany had repeatedly called for a united approach across the whole bloc.

Countries closed their doors to Britain after Mr Johnson announced on Saturday that the new variant was up to 70 per cent more transmissible than the original strain as he put London and parts of the South East and East of England into a two-week Christmas lockdown, with nearly 18 million people in a new Tier 4.  

Dozens of nations outside Europe have also blocked flights from Britain, including Canada, India, Saudi Arabia and Argentina. 

Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted the new variant coronavirus was ‘out of control’ and said the new restrictions may have to remain in place for months.

Concerns about the rapid spread of the disease were underlined with the publication of the latest official figures showing there had been a further 35,928 lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK as of 9am on Sunday.

Millions of people have been forced to tear up their festive plans, with Mr Johnson effectively cancelling Christmas for those in Tier 4.    

The Europe-wide flight ban was evident at Heathrow’s Terminal Two where just two flights to the Continent had been listed on the departure board yesterday.

With more than 40 countries banning UK visitors over fears of the fast-spreading mutant strain of Covid 19 a morning and afternoon flight to the Portuguese capital Lisbon was the only European destination still open to travellers.

But even those flights were closed to UK tourists with only Portuguese nationals allowed on to board.

Passengers also had to present paperwork to show they had a negative Covid-19 test before they could check their bags.

The scenes of chaos with hundreds of people desperately trying to leave Heathrow before European countries closed their borders had given way to business as usual for staff.

All airlines had contacted passengers to inform them their flights were cancelled and not to turn up at the airport.

The only queues were at the Emirates Airline check in desk with more than 300 people waiting patiently in line to fly to Dubai.

Many families were in the long line as airline staff checked passports and paperwork to prove they had undergone a nose and throat PCR swab test for Covid 19 and returned a negative result.     

Mother-of-two Alison Chambers was heading for a Christmas break with her two sons and husband.

She said: ‘I don’t mind how long I have to queue up, I’m just grateful that we can still get away. Fortunately, Dubai is still accepting tourists provided they have had a negative test. It is such a relief.’

Another passenger added:’ Given what is happening in this country I feel very luck to be leaving. ‘

The departure boards at Terminal Two told the story of the Europe wide flight ban with the words ‘cancelled’ or check with airline’ alongside destinations such as Nice, Paris and Zurich.

Virgin Atlantic, United Airlines and Delta were still operating transatlantic flights to the US.

Only US citizens and holders of a green card, or permanent residents, have been allowed to travel since the start of the Pandemic.

Despite the Governor of New York calling for all flights from the UK to be banned from landing at JFK airport Virgin operated their morning flight as usual.

Staff at the check in said passengers were not asked to present a negative Covid test, but a member of staff said:’ That is for now. It is changing all the time.’

US citizens returning the New York have to quarantine for 14 days on arrival.

Passengers on a Virgin flights to Los Angeles, Delta to Atlanta and a United flight to Washington DC were not required to have undergone a test before boarding.

Other airlines operating out of Terminal Two, such as Middle Eastern Airlines, required negative tests before passengers were allowed to check in and pass-through security.

At Terminal 5, the home of British Airways, all passengers on the two flights to New York’s JFK Airport had to have undergone a test to show they were not carrying the virus.

Those who had not previously had a test were able to book a short notice PCR swab test for £99.00. Results were delivered within 80 minutes.

A saliva test was also available as well as an antigen test to show if a passenger had previously had the virus and developed antibodies.

Passengers on other BA flights to the US, including Miami, Florida and Dallas in Texas were not required to have had any test.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had demanded that flights from the UK be halted – but had his request rejected by the federal government.

British Airways and Delta voluntarily agreed that passengers on their flights would be tested prior to departure.

Virgin will insist on a test from Christmas Eve and the rule will apply to code share airline Delta.

The on-site test for BA passengers was being operated by a private firm called Collinson.

The company were also operating a test centre on the ground floor at Terminal Two where a small queue had formed by mid-morning.

Many of those waiting for an appointment were taking part in the recently launched ‘test to release’ scheme which allowed visitors to quarantine for only five days instead of the 14 days imposed by the Government.

A British Airways spokesman said:’ We have agreed to pre-departure testing for passengers on flights from the UK to New York from December 22nd in line with the request. We continue to work closely with local health authorities around the world.’  

Meanwhile, Dover and the surrounding area has been turned into a giant car park with up to 2,500 lorries now filling the motorway, side streets and laybys in Dover – as No10 sources accuse Paris of using the travel ban to strong-arm Brexit talks and trapped French drivers slam Emmanuel Macron for ‘abandoning them in a foreign country’.

France announced a travel ban on arrivals from the UK on Sunday night after the identification of a new Covid-19 strain in the south east of England. More than 2,500 lorries are now backed up in Kent.

Photos show hundreds of lorries parked at the disused Manston Airfield – which was previously reserved for a No Deal Brexit.

The closure was finally lifted this morning, after a deal between the UK and France to test lorry drivers for Covid was struck yesterday.

Lorry drivers will be tested at Manston Airfield, along with those stuck on the M20, before being allowed to travel over to France.

French citizens, British nationals living in France and hauliers are among those now able to travel – if they have a recent negative test. 

The controversial ban yesterday came under fire with Boris Johnson said to be convinced French President Macron is using the crisis to force Britain to cave in during Brexit trade talks.

Though Downing Street publicly insists the port crisis is nothing to do with Brexit, officials and ministers are privately convinced Macron is in part motivated by a desire to pile the pressure on the UK as trade negotiations go down to the wire.

The French ban caught the UK government completely by surprise, it has been claimed, something Transport Minister Grant Shapps alluded to yesterday when he described the move as ‘slightly surprising’.