As of 4 am on Saturday, August 15, anyone travelling to the UK from France has to self-quarantine for 2 weeks.
French ministers stated they were considering applying similar measures to any traveller arriving from the UK, a move that, according to the director of Brittany Ferries, would be ‘an exercise in self-harm.’
The company's director-general Christopher Mathieu said that had already been a disastrous summer season for them and all the businesses in northwestern France that relied on the friendly British invasion each summer.
‘It is why we are lobbying hard with our regional colleagues for the government to drop reciprocal quarantine plans.
‘If such measures are implemented it would be an exercise in self-harm for France plc, damaging our business, as well as those of thousands of others in the regions we serve.’
It follows Clement Beaune, France’s secretary of state for European affairs, saying the UK government’s decision would lead to ‘reciprocal measures’ across the Channel.
Beaune tweeted that it was a British decision which they regretted and which would lead to reciprocal measures, 'all in hoping for a return for normal as soon as possible.'
Brittany Ferries expected to carry ~240,000 passengers this summer, in comparison to ~780,000 for a normal year. The ferry company warned of potential changes to crossing schedules at the end of the summer, with travellers encouraged to check online for latest updates to services.