Vaccine Passports
PPRuNe Handmaiden
I use the Collinson drive through site at Luton airport a lot. They said the number of people coming through who did not know what type of test they needed and/or how long for the results to get back was astounding. Given that you have to book to do the test this is alarming.
What it also highlights is the conflicting and confusing requirements for traveling outbound and returning.
What it also highlights is the conflicting and confusing requirements for traveling outbound and returning.
The whole business certainly complicates matters. I was about to book some flights next Monday and then realised that we could not get Covid tests to fit - the clinics only work Friday morning.
Son of Slot
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Thanks for calling in redsnail, your information is illuminating - and depressing. Whilst I have not had to take a PCR test I know exactly what is involved as I have seen it on TV countless times. Likewise, the results timing etc. It is astonishing that folks are unaware after all this time.
I and my Mrs are travelling Denmark - Italy - France - Italy - France - Italy - Denmark.
First and last legs by EasyJet, the others by car. Have till further not been asked to show our vaccine passports at all.
All EasyJet was interested in upon departure was the EU Passenger Location Form.
Upon arrival at Malpensa, there were no checks of any kind, you just walk out.
Absolutely nada checks on the multiple Italian / French border points crossed, you just drive through.
Unrelated, but the only trouble has been EasyJet and / or CPH botching up the boarding, causing a delay of 1hr, and EasyJet seemingly having no idea who or whose baggage got onto the aircraft. Got an automated email stating that we didn't travel and may have the return leg cancelled. Luckily I purchased a beer and a sandwich onboard, so hopefully have proof of travel. Anyhow, if they cancel, I will file a safety incident report to the DK CAA.
Perhaps also unrelated, but it is an immense pleasure to see life here in Italy and France seemingly rapidly returning to normal, an increasing numbers of visitors everywhere, hotels, restaurants, cafés and bars getting back in business.
First and last legs by EasyJet, the others by car. Have till further not been asked to show our vaccine passports at all.
All EasyJet was interested in upon departure was the EU Passenger Location Form.
Upon arrival at Malpensa, there were no checks of any kind, you just walk out.
Absolutely nada checks on the multiple Italian / French border points crossed, you just drive through.
Unrelated, but the only trouble has been EasyJet and / or CPH botching up the boarding, causing a delay of 1hr, and EasyJet seemingly having no idea who or whose baggage got onto the aircraft. Got an automated email stating that we didn't travel and may have the return leg cancelled. Luckily I purchased a beer and a sandwich onboard, so hopefully have proof of travel. Anyhow, if they cancel, I will file a safety incident report to the DK CAA.
Perhaps also unrelated, but it is an immense pleasure to see life here in Italy and France seemingly rapidly returning to normal, an increasing numbers of visitors everywhere, hotels, restaurants, cafés and bars getting back in business.
Paxing All Over The World
Excerpts from a couple of letters to The Guardian today:
From 19 July – “freedom day” – the UK government will scrap its requirement for a 10-day quarantine for arrivals from amber list countries (Report, 8 July). It seems like good news. But there is a big catch. The UK will only accept vaccination certificates that have been given in the UK. This is plainly daft, as well as discriminatory. How can visitors from overseas be expected to have had vaccinations and vaccination certificates in the UK?
My sister has had two Pfizer vaccinations in New York and has a laminated certificate to prove it. But at present the UK does not accept these. The only Covid vaccinations it accepts from visitors are those that have been given in the UK (unless you are a football official, in which case you are exempt).
If the UK government is doing this because border control doesn’t have the manpower to check vaccinations, it should increase the manpower or redeploy staff allocated to police quarantine.
My sister has had two Pfizer vaccinations in New York and has a laminated certificate to prove it. But at present the UK does not accept these. The only Covid vaccinations it accepts from visitors are those that have been given in the UK (unless you are a football official, in which case you are exempt).
If the UK government is doing this because border control doesn’t have the manpower to check vaccinations, it should increase the manpower or redeploy staff allocated to police quarantine.
Why have politicians decided that only those vaccinated in the UK can avoid self-isolation? This leaves my daughter, recently returned from Spain having been double-jabbed several weeks ago, quarantining – having had a vaccine that the UK is importing itself to vaccinate its public. Bizarre!
In his letter (8 July), Tim Pollard complains about being refused entry to Malta although he had NHS evidence of being fully vaccinated. He needed an EU digital vaccination certificate, he was told.
Unfortunately, the UK government behaves in exactly the same way: it does not recognise EU vaccination certificates for British subjects living in the EU. I live in Germany and am fully vaccinated, but as I do not have NHS certification I cannot travel to and enter the UK without isolating for 10 days. No chance, therefore, of being able to visit my family in the UK yet. Abandoning these childish games on both sides would be a sensible step forward for all Europeans, not just those in the EU.
Unfortunately, the UK government behaves in exactly the same way: it does not recognise EU vaccination certificates for British subjects living in the EU. I live in Germany and am fully vaccinated, but as I do not have NHS certification I cannot travel to and enter the UK without isolating for 10 days. No chance, therefore, of being able to visit my family in the UK yet. Abandoning these childish games on both sides would be a sensible step forward for all Europeans, not just those in the EU.
I'm in a similar position. I am in East Africa, red list, and hope to get a Pfizer vaccination locally soon, My leave allowance is in two week blocks maximum, so going 'home' to the UK with 10 days in a hotel is a no go. When I queried with the local UK High Commission what was being done regarding the many expats around the world in a similar situation, they were their usual helpful selves and just referred me to countless links about the current rules of which I am well aware. It is not at all clear when I could next take some leave.
Second the comments in PAXboy’s post.
The lack of reciprocity from the UK with regard to vaccine passports/isolation requirements is a major PITA for this fully vaccinated family in France …but post Mr Macron’s speech on Monday the grumbling has already started in some quarters about how unreasonable it will be if holiday makers are going to be subject to the forthcoming “health pass” rules and requirements that the locals will be stuck with in a few weeks.
There’s no pleasing some people
The lack of reciprocity from the UK with regard to vaccine passports/isolation requirements is a major PITA for this fully vaccinated family in France …but post Mr Macron’s speech on Monday the grumbling has already started in some quarters about how unreasonable it will be if holiday makers are going to be subject to the forthcoming “health pass” rules and requirements that the locals will be stuck with in a few weeks.
There’s no pleasing some people
Given that that the UK has been discussing the recognition of EU certificates for at least two or three months, it would appear that discussion means little more than Boris-style woffling.
The UK Govt cannot say it publicly, but is almost certainly worried about vaccine paperwork fraud. Even in the UK, I've been offered a "cholera vaccine exemption" yellow book vaccine passport from a UK based doctor in return for money.
Denmark has adopted a policy of recognising vaccines in OECD countries (as well as the EU). Presumably their belief is that rich countries see less vaccine paperwork fraud, because vaccines are widely available and thus fraud becomes unnecessary. If however you claim to have been vaccinated in a poor country...
If the UK and EU can't or don't want to make their vaccine record systems mutually compatible.... perhaps the UK could follow the Danish approach ? Or would an OECD-only approach leads to legal risk around being discriminatory ?
Denmark has adopted a policy of recognising vaccines in OECD countries (as well as the EU). Presumably their belief is that rich countries see less vaccine paperwork fraud, because vaccines are widely available and thus fraud becomes unnecessary. If however you claim to have been vaccinated in a poor country...
If the UK and EU can't or don't want to make their vaccine record systems mutually compatible.... perhaps the UK could follow the Danish approach ? Or would an OECD-only approach leads to legal risk around being discriminatory ?
PPRuNe Handmaiden
I may have mentioned this before. At work we use Traveldoc for guidance. So far it hasn't let us down and I travel a lot for work.
If I need specific/official UK info. I go to the Foreign Travel Advice site. What is particularly handy on the Gov.uk site is the links to that country's official sites.
If I need specific/official UK info. I go to the Foreign Travel Advice site. What is particularly handy on the Gov.uk site is the links to that country's official sites.
If the UK and EU can't or don't want to make their vaccine record systems mutually compatible....
The French don’t seem to have a problem with regarding UK records as being compatible with their system(s) and requirements but the UK …
.
Paxing All Over The World
My partners daughter and son in law are going to Madrid t'row. She is pregnant and they need to catch his Spanish family after 18 months enforced gap before pregnancy too advanced.
- The Spanish govt need a particular document but they will not issue the document until the pax have checked in and got seat numbers.
- BA need the Spanish document before they allow online check in.
- Your move!
- They were able to use the auto assigned seats to get the Spanish document.
- The Spnaish site then issued a QR code to verify the documents.
- They got the codes and his document wasd verified within minutes but hers was not.
- They have been told just to print everything and get to the airport as early as they can.
Last edited by PAXboy; 16th Jul 2021 at 19:50.
Paxing All Over The World
At long last, some questions about the cost of Covid testing for travel.
Travel Mole
I have not yet seen this reported in the mainstream press.
Travel Mole
I have not yet seen this reported in the mainstream press.
BBC reported this yesterday
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58137461
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58137461
Paxing All Over The World
Ah, thank you dj6. Just read an article by well known a newspaper coloumnist about getting tested whilst away, prior to rereturn. They paid, had the test taken. The resulting email was blackmail:
Six days later, however, I realised how completely I hadn’t thought this through: we were now in a faraway and beautiful land, and all needed negative results to get home, but the youngest’s had come back from the test centre. It wasn’t inconclusive but rather, “these results will be visible upon receipt of another €100”.
Nothing about that made sense: it was twice the cost of the original test, which we had already paid ...
Nothing about that made sense: it was twice the cost of the original test, which we had already paid ...
PAXboy - my own experience was paying up front for an appointment, and then at the time of the appointment and logging onto the vendor's website, seeing a message to say that my appointment had been changed to 2 hours earlier and since I had clearly missed the appointment I had therefore forfeited the money. No email, no phonecall in advance. Email complaints (i.e. with an audit trail), even with threats to the General Medical Council or Care & Quality Commission (go ask your GP and see how they react when "complaint to the GMC / CQC" is mentioned) were just meant with stonewalling. I am fortunate in that Mrs Johnson is a solicitor and knows how to litigate through the courts
I strongly support Sajid Javid in requesting this enquiry from the CMA
I strongly support Sajid Javid in requesting this enquiry from the CMA
Son of Slot
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Thread Starter
Thank you for all the updates as we are also, now, trying to make travel plans. I have just read this, it is a BBC report from London but may have occurred elsewhere too.
Anger at overflowing Covid test drop boxes
Anger at overflowing Covid test drop boxes
Norwegian Govt will allow vaccinated people from the England and Wales (but not Scotland or N.Ireland) with NHS app to enter Norway freely without quarantine from 3pm Norwegian time on 12 August
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 11th Aug 2021 at 10:20.
Paxing All Over The World
From the UK The Independent
The government has cut the price of NHS coronavirus tests for travel by £20 amid criticism of the costs being imposed on holidaymakers.
Travellers, including people who have been fully vaccinated, are having to shell out hundreds of pounds on PCR tests – a requirement that has been deterring people from going abroad. Under the price cut, the cost of a travel test from NHS Test and Trace will be reduced from £88 to £68 for one test and from £170 to £136 for two.
People returning to the UK, even from countries on the green list, have to take a test before they depart for England and a test two days after they arrive. The requirement means testing is often more expensive than flights, accommodation, or both combined – putting foreign holidays out of the reach of millions who would normally travel on a budget.
The NHS tests are advertised alongside private providers as an option for returning holidaymakers.
Travellers, including people who have been fully vaccinated, are having to shell out hundreds of pounds on PCR tests – a requirement that has been deterring people from going abroad. Under the price cut, the cost of a travel test from NHS Test and Trace will be reduced from £88 to £68 for one test and from £170 to £136 for two.
People returning to the UK, even from countries on the green list, have to take a test before they depart for England and a test two days after they arrive. The requirement means testing is often more expensive than flights, accommodation, or both combined – putting foreign holidays out of the reach of millions who would normally travel on a budget.
The NHS tests are advertised alongside private providers as an option for returning holidaymakers.
