A couple from London had their holiday to the island cut short after they were detained by police at Ronaldsway.

The holidaymakers, who said they were hoping to visit friends, arrived at the airport on Friday night without exemption certificates, introduced to prevent the reintroduction of coronavirus to the island, and claimed they were unaware of the strict border policy.

After 24 hours in quarantine however, they were put on the next available flight home and faced no criminal charges.

As it stands, returning residents with Manx entry permits and key workers with government permission can travel to the island.

The couple who arrived from London at Ronaldsway were not key workers and had no entry permits.

Superintendent Steve Maddocks said: ’We’ve had people arrive in the island in similar circumstances.

’It was obviously a genuine mistake.

’They weren’t challenged when they got on to the aircraft on the London side.’

He said they had planned to visit friends in the island.

When people book flights on Loganair’s website, a message comes up saying that people who travel to the island must have an authorisation certificate.

But British Airways’ website gives details only about UK regulations, not Manx ones.

Loganair runs British Airways CityFlyer route from London City, although, as the Manx Independent revealed last week, the service will be fully taken over by Loganair from September 1.

The couple managed to go through security unchecked until they got to the Isle of Man.

A spokesman for Loganair said: ’Entry permit checks are conducted for all passengers on flights to the Isle of Man at the check-in desks at Liverpool, Manchester and London City, with a further check at the boarding gate.’

The Steam Packet checks passengers’ exemption certificates before they board ferries.

Police say the couple from London did not commit a crime.

They were detained in an improvised quarantine area devised by the police and returned to London on the next available flight.

Supt Maddocks said: ’There weren’t any flights back to London until Sunday.

’They were quarantined at a location paid for by themselves.’

He said the police tried to work with all of government to keep the island coronavirus free.

’It’s not really the police’s role to arrange for people to stay somewhere but that’s what has to be done to keep ourselves as safe as we can.

’So we did step into the breach.’