Brits warned off mexico

Following the outbreak of swine flu, British holidaymakers are being warned not to travel to Mexico unless absolutely necessary - and some travel agents are preparing to fly all of their customers back from the country should they wish to return home...

The timing of the swine flu outbreak could not be worse for airlines and travel agents, already suffering the effects of the economic downturn. Now, the travel industry is battling plunging share values sparked by fears of a global pandemic.

Mexico's peso weakened in the light of the news, but pharmaceutical firms did well, with AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline both up on the London Stock Exchange.

Thomson Holidays currently has 2,500 customers in Mexico and have been flying empty Planes out of Manchester and Gatwick airports to Cancún and Cozumel to collect holidaymakers.

Whilst Frances Tuke, Spokesman for the travel industry trade body, ABTA, said that ‘The Foreign Office has not asked us to mount an evacuation,' some firms would be collecting passengers who wished to return to the UK.

A statement from parent company TUI, which owns Thompson, said, "Our customers are our number one priority and as such we are giving those who wish to return home the opportunity to do so, on special flights over the next few days."

Following the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's advice not to travel after the World health Organisation (WHO) raised the level of the threat posed by swine flu, Thomson and First Choice Holidays cancelled all outbound holidays to Cancún and Cozumel until 8th May.

Thomas Cook - which currently has 3,000 customers holidaying in Mexico - also cancelled all outbound holidays from Gatwick, Manchester and Glasgow to Cancún for the next seven days.

Travellers who do still want to travel to Mexico against the advice from the WHO should bear in mind that their travel insurance may not cover them should they fall ill from the flu, so they may have to cover their own medical expenses.

Some travel operators are offering customers due to travel to Mexico the option to make a free amendment to their holiday and select a different destination or alternative date up to the same value already booked.

Up to 330,000 Britons are due to visit Mexico this year, with around 250,000 taking package holidays.

You cannot catch influenza from eating pork. Under EU rules pork meat or live pigs cannot be imported from Mexico and there have been no cases of this type of swine flu in pigs in Europe.

UK guidance is that anyone with flu-like symptoms who might have been in contact with the virus - should seek medical advice straight away.  

Picture of Mexico's Metropolitan Cathedral in Mexico City's Zocalo by waffler