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| Coronavirus: Foreign Office links up with airlines to fly stranded Britons home | Coronavirus: Foreign Office links up with airlines to fly stranded Britons home |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Tens of thousands of Britons stranded abroad by the coronavirus pandemic will be flown home under a new arrangement between the government and airlines. | Tens of thousands of Britons stranded abroad by the coronavirus pandemic will be flown home under a new arrangement between the government and airlines. |
| BA, Virgin and easyJet are among airlines working with the government to fly Britons back to the UK. | |
| The government has also pledged £75m to charter special flights to bring home UK nationals from countries where commercial flights are unavailable. | The government has also pledged £75m to charter special flights to bring home UK nationals from countries where commercial flights are unavailable. |
| The number of people who have died with the virus in the UK has reached 1,408. | The number of people who have died with the virus in the UK has reached 1,408. |
| Speaking at the government's daily coronavirus briefing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said an "unprecedented" number of UK travellers were trying to get home. | Speaking at the government's daily coronavirus briefing, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said an "unprecedented" number of UK travellers were trying to get home. |
| "We are talking about hundreds of thousands of people travelling around the world," he said. | "We are talking about hundreds of thousands of people travelling around the world," he said. |
| Mr Raab added: "Hundreds of thousands have already done so, but many travellers haven't yet managed to get back home - from young backpackers to retired couples on cruises." | Mr Raab added: "Hundreds of thousands have already done so, but many travellers haven't yet managed to get back home - from young backpackers to retired couples on cruises." |
| Under the new arrangement, airlines would be responsible for getting stranded passengers home where commercial routes remain an option. | Under the new arrangement, airlines would be responsible for getting stranded passengers home where commercial routes remain an option. |
| "That means offering alternative flights at little to no cost where routes have been cancelled, and it means allowing passengers to change tickets - including between carriers," he said. | "That means offering alternative flights at little to no cost where routes have been cancelled, and it means allowing passengers to change tickets - including between carriers," he said. |
| "So for those still in those countries where commercial options are still available: don't wait. Don't run the risk of getting stranded. The airlines are standing by to help you - please book your tickets as soon as possible." | "So for those still in those countries where commercial options are still available: don't wait. Don't run the risk of getting stranded. The airlines are standing by to help you - please book your tickets as soon as possible." |
| Virgin, easyJet, Jet2 and Titan Airways signed a memorandum of understanding relating to the arrangement on Monday. | |
| British Airways has also said it will work with government to get people home and other airlines are expected to join. | |
| Where commercial routes do not exist, the government will provide up to £75m financial support to enable special charter flights - operated by the partner airlines and others - to fly to priority countries to bring back UK residents. | |
| Mr Raab said priority would be given to the most vulnerable - including the elderly or those with pressing medical needs - and also to countries where there are large numbers of British tourists trying to return to the UK. | |
| Instructions for UK travellers to return home can be found on the government's foreign travel advice website. | |
| The Foreign Office said it has already helped hundreds of thousands of British tourists return from around the globe including 8,500 from Morocco, about 5,000 from Cyprus, and an estimated 150,000 from Spain. | |
| Later in the news briefing, the UK's chief scientific adviser said there were early signs that social distancing measures in the UK were "making a difference". | Later in the news briefing, the UK's chief scientific adviser said there were early signs that social distancing measures in the UK were "making a difference". |
| Sir Patrick Vallance said people were heeding the advice to stay at home to keep the pressure off the NHS. | Sir Patrick Vallance said people were heeding the advice to stay at home to keep the pressure off the NHS. |
| As of 09:00 BST on Monday, 22,141 people in the UK have tested positive for coronavirus, while 112,805 have tested negative, according to the Department of Health. | As of 09:00 BST on Monday, 22,141 people in the UK have tested positive for coronavirus, while 112,805 have tested negative, according to the Department of Health. |
| The total number of people who have died with the virus in the UK reached 1,408, as measured before 17:00 BST on Sunday. | |
| The deaths include a further 159 people in England, six in Scotland, 14 in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. |