Tui confirmed shortly before midnight on Wednesday into Thursday that flight TOM134 from Manchester to Varadero on Thursday (15 July) would be cancelled. Customers have been given the option of a full cash refund or to change their booking to an alternative holiday departing at a later date.
"We won’t take customers to red destinations or those which require quarantine on arrival unless this can be foregone by a Covid test," said the airline and operator. Cuba will officially join the red list at 4am on Monday (19 July).
"All customers currently on holiday in Cuba, who were due to return after 4am on Monday 19 July, have been contacted to confirm that they will now return on TOM135 from Varadero to Manchester on Thursday 15 July," said Tui. "This flight is scheduled to depart at 11.20pm local time and lands into Manchester (Terminal 2) at 8.15am local time on Friday 16 July.
"All holidays to Cuba are now cancelled up to and including 31 August 2021 and customers will be contacted and given the option of a full cash refund or to change to a later date or alternative holiday."
Tui is also giving customers currently holidaying in the Balearics the chance to return before the islands are moved to the amber list at 4am on Monday 19 July.
From Monday, fully vaccinated arrivals into the UK from amber list destinations will no longer have to quarantine at home for 10 days, and will only have to take a pre-departure test and a test on day two of their return.
However, those who are not fully vaccinated will still have to complete 10 days’ self-isolation at home, a pre-departure test, and tests on days two and eight of their return.
"All requests will be accommodated on Tui flights where seats are available," said the operator.
"To offer continued flexibility and reassurance, customers due to travel to the Balearics in the next 14 days – and customers with bookings up to and including 31 October 2021 – can change their holiday fee-free up to 14 days before travel.
"Customers due to travel to the Balearics in the next 14 days will also be able to change their holiday fee-free."
