A couple caught up in the UK’s abrupt decision to reimpose a travel red list and make hotel quarantine mandatory have called on the government to refund those subsequently released when the order was scrapped.
Suzanne Styles, 56, and her husband Chris Styles, 52, said they were charged “shocking” rates for a basic standard of accommodation. The couple paid £3,715 ($4,919) for a 10-day stay at the five-star Sofitel Hotel near London’s Gatwick Airport.
Mrs Styles, who is British, and Mr Styles, who is South African, had been visiting his terminally ill father in South Africa when the UK government issued a new set of travel rules after the discovery of the Omicron Covid-19 variant in November. South Africa was among 11 nations to be red-listed, which meant arrivals from those countries had to spend 10 days in hotel quarantine upon arrival in Britain.
The rules were scrapped on Wednesday, however, and the couple — along with others confined to hotel rooms — were allowed to leave before reaching their 10th day, provided they tested negative for the virus.
They are now calling on the government to offer them a refund, after they were served chocolate muffins for breakfast and had their travel documents handled by hotel staff not wearing gloves.
“It’s not just the time which is an issue, it’s the money — it’s a huge amount of money,” Mrs Styles told The National.
“It’s just absolutely shocking. We had to use the savings we had for a new car.
“It means we are not going to get a car which will affect our ability to work. We lost our business due to Covid so I am hoping that the funds for quarantine will be returned to us.”
The couple lived in South Africa before moving to the UK in June.
Mrs Styles has written to her MP requesting a refund due to the low food standards and lack of co-ordination at the Sofitel Hotel.
She said on their first morning they were woken at 7.15am by the sound of a fire alarm and staff appeared unsure of what to do.
“It was absolute chaos. First they told us to stay in our rooms and then they decided to evacuate us and we were taken outside,” she said.
“Some people were not wearing masks and there was no social distancing. There were children and old people. We were confused and nobody knew what was going on.
“I had more of a chance of catching Covid from the procedures in the hotel than I did in South Africa.”
After the incident, the couple refused to go out of their room when they were allowed to exercise in the fresh air each day, due to fears they would catch Covid from other guests.
Mrs Styles believes the UK government’s decision to impose quarantine on double-vaccinated travellers was excessive and instead people should have been told to self-isolate at home.
“I think it was unnecessary action.
“I would rather have an ankle tag and isolate at home than spend it in a hotel,” she said.
At 4am on Wednesday the red list of 11 nations — Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe — was scrapped.
Mandatory PCR tests on day two for everyone arriving in the UK will remain for now.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rest
(Because Music)
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap $60,000 1,400m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Handicap $160,000 1,400m
Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group 3 $200,000 2,000m
Winner: Folkswood, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile Group 2 $250,000 1,600m
Winner: Janoobi, Jim Crowley, Mike de Kock
9.25pm: Handicap $125,000 1,600m
Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Tuesday (UAE kick-off times)
Leicester City v Brighton (9pm)
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United (11.15pm)
Wednesday
Manchester United v Sheffield United (9pm)
Newcastle United v Aston Villa (9pm)
Norwich City v Everton (9pm)
Wolves v Bournemouth (9pm)
Liverpool v Crystal Palace (11.15pm)
Thursday
Burnley v Watford (9pm)
Southampton v Arsenal (9pm)
Chelsea v Manchester City (11.15pm)
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo and dual electric motors
Power: 300hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,500-3,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.0L/100km
Price: from Dh199,900
On sale: now
The years Ramadan fell in May
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
