Officials representing the Eurotunnel, the car and train service linking the English town of Folkestone with the French city of Calais, said that no tickets were remaining and urged those without a reservation not to arrive at the terminal on the French side of the English Channel.
The high-speed Eurostar service, which connects London with Paris and other northern European cities, also made a similar announcement, calling on those without a ticket not to attempt to travel.
Late on Thursday, the UK government removed the two aforementioned countries, along with Malta and the Caribbean nations of Aruba, and Turks and Caicos, from its list of approved travel corridors due to the increased risk of COVID-19 transmission. Those who return from Saturday morning must spend a minimum of two weeks in self-isolation.
Following the announcement, prices for flights from Amsterdam and Paris to London skyrocketed. As of Friday evening, British Airways is charging as much as 450 euros ($532) for an economy class ticket on their 06:50 p.m. service from Paris to London. The same flight on Monday is being sold for 73 euros.
The UK government created similar travel chaos in late July when a mandatory quarantine order was introduced for returnees from Spain. Ministers announced late on July 25 that the measure would come into force on the following day.
Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez called the UK government's measure unjust, saying that more notice should have been given.
Since the start of the outbreak, the UK has recorded 313,798 positive tests for COVID-19 and the official government death toll stands at 41,347.