Britons dwelling in Spain barred from Madrid flight in submit-Brexit travel row

British residents traveling house to Spain have been prevented from boarding a joint BA/Iberia flight to Madrid for the reason that the airline claimed their pre-Brexit residency papers were no lengthier valid, when other folks ended up deported back again to Britain from Barcelona for the same rationale.

Max Duncan mentioned the Iberia desk refused to recognise his eco-friendly card as evidence of residence even with assurances by the British and Spanish governments that each the aged Foreign Countrywide Identification (NIE) doc and the new Overseas ID Card (TIE) remained legitimate.

Duncan claimed he and seven other citizens of Spain were being not permitted to board the 10.55am flight to Madrid. The Spanish wife of a person of the Britons was also portion of the group.

Madrid experienced declared previous calendar year that in the gentle of Brexit, British isles nationals resident in Spain would be specified a photo ID to swap the residency papers carried by EU nationals while the green card would continue being valid proof of residency.

It then restricted passenger travel from the Uk on 22 December right until 19 January immediately after the discovery of the new coronavirus variant in southern England, with exceptions for Spanish nationals and these lawfully resident in Spain.

The British embassy in Madrid reiterated in a tweet on Saturday night that the inexperienced card was valid.

“This should not be happening, the Spanish authorities have reconfirmed again this evening that the green residency doc will be legitimate for vacation to return to Spain as stated in our journey guidance,” it reported.

Patricia Moody and her spouse, who have been flying home to Almería by means of Madrid, were being also turned away.

“We had tickets with Iberia but someone mentioned BA were being accepting the eco-friendly card so we bought tickets with them, so we used a full of £1,500. BA boarded one particular of our suitcases then said we couldn’t board right after all .”

Moody and her husband, who urgently needs treatment, are ready to listen to from the British embassy in Madrid. Meanwhile, their PCR checks, which value £249, are no extended legitimate for vacation.

It was not just the Madrid flight that was afflicted. On Saturday, Carlos Torres, who has dual United kingdom/Portuguese nationality, narrowly escaped remaining deported when he arrived at Barcelona airport.

“Yesterday I was on flight BA474 from London Heathrow and landed in Barcelona at 13:20,” Torres wrote on Facebook.

“Everyone had their NIE, negative PCR check final result and HR code (Spanish travel health and fitness) which all experienced been currently checked prior to boarding at Heathrow. The police then start checking all the NIEs and calling persons to confirm their standing. It promptly escalated to the police telling all people they will have to board the airplane and fly back to London.

“I stored telling them that I’m a European Union nationwide and that they have to permit me by means of. All the Brits had been compelled again on the flight (me included). Last but not least, the penny dropped and the senior law enforcement officer permit me by way of at the past moment.”

Tens of thousands of Britons have registered to be issued with the new card but several are waiting around to acquire their ID as the program is overloaded.

There are about 300,000 British residents in Spain, despite the fact that the variety may well be considerably greater as several stay outside the Spanish process.

BA explained in a assertion: “In these challenging and unprecedented periods with dynamic journey limits, we are performing every thing we can to assist and support our prospects.”

Related: British people in Spain ‘confused and alarmed’ about publish-Brexit upcoming