Airport bosses have hit out at the latest quarantine measures for tourists returning home from abroad.

Southend Airport has criticised the Government's new rules which say UK residents returning from France, Holland, Malta, and elsewhere, will have to quarantine for two weeks when they return.

Airport chiefs have hit back at Grant Shapps, the Transport secretary, after his announcement, saying Government policy needs to be "clear and consistent."

Passengers can still fly to the countries on the list, which includes Spain and Belgium, but ministers say travel abroad should be essential only.

Flights from Southend airport fly to Marseille, Amsterdam, Bordeaux, Brest, and Paris.

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A spokesman for Southend Airport, said: "It is disappointing to see further countries added to the quarantine list at such short notice.

"The aviation industry has been exceptionally hard hit with the impact extending to its wider supply chain and job losses mounting almost daily.

"These latest changes, introduced at almost no notice, result in increased uncertainty which cannot but further erode confidence in travel.

"London Southend Airport is working hard to make travel safe again, investing in new security equipment, bioshields, extensive information provision and a hand sanitiser every 20 paces.

"We need Government to help restart our industry by providing policy which is clear, consistent and proportionate to risk, rather than by requiring passengers to enter quarantine when returning from an ever changing list of countries many parts of which have infection rates lower than the UK."