airways

I flew into the U.K. last night. Fortunately no PCR or passenger locator faff for me but it was actually very quiet. Less than 30 passengers on the aircraft and Stansted was quiet. People are being put off travelling. Had my third booster this morning and the uptake seems to very high at the moment in the U.K. Off to France shortly so will see what the reception there is like.

PS the weather is horrible!

agree_to_disagree

Current plan is I will be flying out of Spain next week and might nip over to the UK on my way back. However, the way things are starting to look I might not even be leaving Spain.

My plans for Xmas were to spend it with my mum and family, but me travelling represents a risk in terms of infecting everyone with omicron. The mandatory test I will take will be a couple of days before I travel and I could easily catch this bloody variant on the plane or public transport as I travel there.

Squeaky bum time!

Jon-Bxl

Yes I agree I used the same bolting-horse phrase a few weeks ago.

At least the government has realised that these travel restrictions are pointless with 100k+ cases a day - happening internally. However I think they should scrap it all now.

Often people are traveling from lower infected countries, yet have had to do all these hassles. And so are putting themselves in greater danger/risk by coming to the UK!

We are triple vaccinated, but with this huge case rate, I am expecting to get this sometime. We take many precautions, but cant bear the thought of self-isolation when well. We are currently in France, where its very impacted. I hope to miss it, of course, but its a 'numbers game'

Jon

Summary
The changes, which kicked in at 04:00 GMT, mean fully vaccinated travellers to the UK no longer have to take a pre-flight Covid test
The new rules also mean fully jabbed arrivals do not now need to isolate while waiting for their post-arrival PCR result
From 04:00 GMT on Sunday, fully vaccinated travellers to the UK will be able to take a cheaper lateral flow within two days of arriving
Arrivals who receive a positive lateral flow result must take a PCR test - which can be a free NHS one
Travel companies say bookings have already risen since the rule changes were announced on Wednesday
The devolved governments of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have confirmed they will follow England’s changes
With Omicron now spreading widely in the UK, ministers say the tougher testing rules are no longer necessary
​​​​​​

agree_to_disagree

Cost me just under 200 euros for my Covid PCR tests for the round trip. Absolute scam!!!!

The company in the UK that were on the government approved list that supplied me the test at home kit, were late in processing my order and then in dispatching the kit. I will be asking them for a compensation and I will also be reporting them to whatever ombudsman deals with it.

It was a complete joke!!! I was going to the UK which had a plague of Covid from Spain where there were much fewer cases. Why was the test even necessary. It makes no sense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Flyingbanana

it has defo stopped me booking loads of trips to Spain to the house plus site seeing & World Supebike events. I can remember a few years ago have about 5-6 hols all booked with flights, hire car & hotels by now for the whole year.

Jon-Bxl

Totally agree....

The sad thing is that there is always someone ready to profit... And e.g be able to convince the government to get their name on the 'approved list'. .... Cha ching!! We pay.

I really believe we should reopen the borders with no restrictions, the restrictions are the tail wagging the dog... And its too late, Omicron is amazingly rampant. As Ive said for some time. So restrictions.... And the resulting costs are ineffective and expensive to the 'person on the street'

Like the people who convinced the government to pay billions (I think 37bn but lets say its half that) for test and trace ... They used an old version of Microsoft Excel that didn't have enough capacity to handle the numbers infected!

I dont know ... But I doubt that MSoft themselves spent this much developing Excel itself over the years ..

Of course the system was more than Excel... But the numbers are staggering!

Why didn't they go to either MSoft, Oracle, SAP etc etc professionals who understand large databases and the right user interface, and communication and reporting protocols.

Im guessing that they would have bit Boris' arm off for even a ONE billion contract!!

Sorry got on a rant!!!

Soapbox away.... Wheres the brandy!!!

Jon

Fredbargate

To confirm the above the son of a freind whom we celebrated Christmas with, flew untested to the UK from Gib this morning at the start of his journey back to the favourite city of No,vacc Djokovic

.

SanNico

A word of warning to others, although this person may have done so, according to the rules this person should have been tested unless exempt for another reason.
Travel to England from another country during coronavirus (COVID-19) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Fredbargate

SanNico having read your link I can see no requirement for a fully vaccinated person to take a test prior to arriving in England

SanNico

That’s because the rules have changed. Click the see all updates link and you’ll see that from 7 December it’s was a requirement.
Edit. I stand corrected. I thought it was from Sunday but it was from Friday. Apologies for misleading

Mark604

On that link there are mentions of updates at the bottom when you click to open it up - but - the main info page surely would have been updated to whatever the very latest and newest regulations are. I'm sure they wouldn't bury regulations in those updates without putting them in the main body of the text.
So, I also cannot see where it states that from 7th Jan a vaccinated person needs a test before travel to the UK. After yes, before, no.

"This is what you need to do if you qualify under the fully vaccinated rules for travel to England.

Before you travel to England – fully vaccinated

Before you travel to England you must:

• book and pay for a COVID-19 test – to be taken after you arrive in England
• complete a passenger locator form – to be completed in the 48 hours before you arrive in England.
• When you arrive in England – fully vaccinated
• After you arrive in England you must take a COVID-19 test. This is the test that you booked before travel.
  
  This must be a PCR test if you arrive in England before 4am Sunday 9 January. If you arrive after 4am, 9 January you can use a lateral flow test. You will be able to book lateral flow tests from 7 January."

Mark604

As for the updates, it says -
"7 January 2022 From 4am 7 January you do not have to quarantine on arrival in England if you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England.
5 January 2022. Changes to rules for fully vaccinated people travelling to England from 4am 7 January 2022."

agree_to_disagree

In the last week I flew to both the UK and Spain.

When I arrived at the UK border from Spain, no checks. Masks required at all times on plane and in airport. On public transport very few people now wear a mask.

In Spain by contrast, 100% compliance wearing masks in shops, transport and public buildings.

On arrival in Spain they check you have your travel locator form completed and have fancy infra red cameras with lots of medical people all suited up.

The contrast is quite stark.

If Covid kicks off again in the UK with the relaxation of all the rules I can imagine that they might even re-introduce covid testing for those wanting to enter Spain.

UK appears to have lost the plot when it comes to just abandoning all the Covid measures in place.

Removing all the restrictions in the UK is more about political manoeuvring from Boris trying to save his own skin, that what is best for the nation!

SanNico

I'm rarely one to defend the UK but in fairness to them the PLF is linked to whatever database they use. When we went last weekend I offered mine to the Border Guard and he said he could already see it.

DLC

On the other hand I couldn't get the to accept my EU Covid certificate as for some reason it said it had more than one QR code. So after about 45 minutes of scanning, re-scanning, and zooming and none of it working I just ticked an option which read something light I had one but couldn't prove it. There was a stern warning about having to bring it with me to show... and I wasn't asked for it on the UK side.