Dozens of English passengers, who arrived in Madeira this morning on a British Airways flight were refused entry by SEF and had to remain on the aircraft until it was allowed to leave.
The intervention of the SEF- Foreigners and Borders Service comes after a decision made by the Portuguese State to impose restrictions on all UK travellers from midnight last night.
According to unconfirmed reports, both Portuguese nationals and residents were allowed to disembark.
The Government of the Republic has just issued a statement that allows tests to be carried out on Portuguese citizens and legal residents from the UK at all national airports.
In a statement they said:
“Following the publication of Order No. 12344/2020, which adopted measures to strengthen the control of the movement of passengers from the United Kingdom in order to prevent the spread of the new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, with practically immediate effect, the Portuguese Government is aware of the difficult situation on the part of airlines to manage, namely as regards the administrative issue and the citizens who were preparing to leave the United Kingdom for Portugal (Madeira) and who have not yet had a negative SARS- VOC-2 test.
In this sense, the Government has already articulated with ANAC in order to ensure that the short time that was given to airlines to comply with the aforementioned diploma is taken into account, but it is intended that, temporarily, national and legally resident citizens in Portugal, who do not have proof of negative test, should be sent by the competent authorities, upon arrival in Portugal, to carry out the said test inside the airport, by health professionals qualified for the purpose and remain in isolation under the terms defined by health authorities.”
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
