NEW coronavirus rules have been branded "nonsensical" after it emerged Scots are banned from travelling to airports to go abroad - but the flight itself will still be legal.
SNP Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said international travel will not be outlawed "because that is for the UK to do that".
More than two million people across west central Scotland will be plunged back into near-lockdown from Friday in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.
The new rules will see Scots in level three and level four Covid areas banned from travelling outside their council area, although there are a range of exceptions.
During a session of Holyrood's Covid committee, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie asked if international travel will be illegal for these Scots.
Mr Russell said: “International travel won’t be illegal because that is for the UK to do that, but travelling to the airport or to a port for that purpose would be against the regulations.”
Mr Rennie then asked if people living in Glasgow could travel to Glasgow Airport to go on a non-essential international trip.
Mr Russell said: "No, I don't believe they can, no."
Writing on Twitter, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said: "This is absolutely nonsensical.
"We need clarity urgently, not yet more poorly-conceived legislation that raises as many questions as it answers."
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