Europe 2021

[Psamathe]

I thought he was talking about the Passenger Locator Form, which is free. You pay for the Lateral Flow Test, but not to the Govt. Maybe they should tax a bit of that windfall profit (oh no, it's usually their mates).

It would be a useful debate if there should always be a manual option, but who is going to pay. We know the way these things go everyone wants equality, until asked to pay.

I've not looked into procedures but I thought the LFT was free (I've got some in my cupboard and if travelling I'd take a couple of those with me for my return - got them from UK Gov for free). I thought the PCR etc. was a thing of the past (lots of announcements about it).

I see no issues with booking fee being charged if you want/need to do it manually over the phone. We kind of accept that sort of thing for other stuff e.g. take out an insurance policy online and you get a cheaper premium (certainly a few years ago I was negotiating with my existing insurer and they said if I went and paid online I'd get a 10% discount).

Ian

[simonhill]

You cannot use the free Govt /NHS LFTs for travel, much like you couldn't use the Govt PCR tests.

The test results don't have the necessary details eg passport number etc. This meant that travellers were paying £70 ish for the return PCR. Now they'll only pay £25 ish for a LFT. Originally it was pre departure test both ways, so plenty of dosh from you and for their mates.

When you want to come home you have to complete a passenger locator form. On this you put the id of the test you have pre arranged and paid for. NHS ones not accepted.

Welcome to the wonderful world of COVID travel.

[st599_uk]

I've not looked into procedures but I thought the LFT was free (I've got some in my cupboard and if travelling I'd take a couple of those with me for my return - got them from UK Gov for free).

Nope, they're not allowed for travel, you have to pay an unknown fee to one of a random set of companies who resell testkits from a handful of labs.

The new list goes live on Friday for people returning from Sunday - luckily my work trip finishes Monday so hopefully the webpage will have stopped crashing by then.

[willem jongman]

I remain confused about why the UK government insists on tests for return journeys. I am about to go to Italy for a conference, so I had a look at their numbers. Current infection numbers in Italy are some twenty times lower than in the UK. I would think the effort would be better directed to testing for internal UK travel or UK pubs. What am I missing?

[PDQ Mobile]

I remain confused about why the UK government insists on tests for return journeys. I am about to go to Italy for a conference, so I had a look at their numbers. Current infection numbers in Italy are some twenty times lower than in the UK. I would think the effort would be better directed to testing for internal UK travel or UK pubs. What am I missing?

You are missing the fact that the Tories believe that ANY situation can be used to turn a profit amongst their old school chums and donors.

[MrsHJ]

I remain confused about why the UK government insists on tests for return journeys. I am about to go to Italy for a conference, so I had a look at their numbers. Current infection numbers in Italy are some twenty times lower than in the UK. I would think the effort would be better directed to testing for internal UK travel or UK pubs. What am I missing?

Wholly agree about it being pointless when we have the highest cases in Western Europe. Apparently with PCR tests they were able to keep an eye on variants. With lateral flow I don’t think that’s the case so it just seems like a big money drain to come back to plague island.

[st599_uk]

Been over in Germany for a many times delayed meet up with friends.

At the arrival airport had to show:
Passport
Proof of accommodation (Booking.com email)
Proof of funds (HSBC app)
Return flight tickets (Gmail ok)
German CoVid registration (which requires you to upload UK CoVid certificate)

Plus I now have stamps in the passport and had a nice chat with customs.

[scragend]

Been over in Germany for a many times delayed meet up with friends.

At the arrival airport had to show:
Passport
Proof of accommodation (Booking.com email)
Proof of funds (HSBC app)
Return flight tickets (Gmail ok)
German CoVid registration (which requires you to upload UK CoVid certificate)

Plus I now have stamps in the passport and had a nice chat with customs.

I was in Berlin a couple of weeks ago. On arrival at BER I had to show passport, onward flight ticket and the Einreiseanmeldung. The border force chap asked me whether I was staying with friends or in booked accommodation - I replied booked accommodation but he didn't ask where or want to see proof. Neither did he ask for proof of funds. He asked the purpose of my trip ("holiday"), stamped my passport and let me go on my way.

The couple before me were asked to show proof of accommodation, but they probably didn't help their own cause when the gentleman responded to the question "where are you staying?" with "I don't know"!

I flew back to Manchester with a transfer in Amsterdam. I had the Dutch quarantine declaration and health declaration ready, together with proof of vaccination, but I wasn't asked to show any of them. Curiously on boarding the plane at Berlin I didn't have to show any ID at all. I know it's a flight within Schengen so there are no border formalities, but I would have expected at least to be asked to show some kind of proof that the boarding pass I was using did actually belong to me. But no - I scanned the boarding pass to get into security and again at the gate, and that was it.

For the onward flight from Schiphol I couldn't check in online because KLM wanted me to show the Passenger Locator Form and proof of vaccination. You're supposed to be able to upload these in the app and then it will let you check in, but it didn't work for me. So I had to go to a check-in desk. How quaint! All went smoothly though; there was a bit of a queue but it moved quickly.

On arrival at the gates there was a kind of "dummy gate" where you had to show all the COVID-related documents before they let you through to border control (passport stamped out) and then the gate proper.

So one or two more formalities than in the past, some Brexit-related, some COVID-related, but all in all it went very smoothly and there were no issues. Tip: Be organised, have the correct documents and sound like you know what you're doing!

As this is a cycling forum, I should mention that there were no bikes involved in any of this.

[simonhill]

I flew into Porto in Portugal a couple of weeks ago. All Doc's checked by easyJet on way out. On arrival they just wanted my NHS jab cert and passport. Nothing re return ticket, cash, accom, etc.

Not being pedantic, but you both say these things were asked for. However what is more important to us all is what would have happened if you had replied "not got". Denied entry or warned, or what.

Also, were you asked for any of this info by your outbound carrier. That is where the first checks are normally done and where they might soon start.

Incidentally I did have bike, but that was in the baggage hall.

[st599_uk]

Certainly at Munich they were being very strict on Schengen entry requirements - I wouldn't want to push it to find out. I saw a few with laptops out sorting entry.

No checks by the carrier.

[simonhill]

Once they start sending back people who can't sort it out then and there and fine the airlines, outbound checks will start.

Then we are all stuffed.

[Psamathe]

I've always thought "Proof of funds" a difficult one. Wads of notes might be for some on a short trip but many will use cards and on longer trips they will need their bills paid or to be topped-up which in theory means bank statements, card statements, disposable income analysis.

Cursory checks are pretty meaningless, more of a token gesture.

Ian

[scragend]

Also, were you asked for any of this info by your outbound carrier. That is where the first checks are normally done and where they might soon start.

The COVID related documents yes, the others no.

Not being pedantic, but you both say these things were asked for. However what is more important to us all is what would have happened if you had replied "not got". Denied entry or warned, or what.

Can't answer that, but if you don't have what you have been told you need, that's on you.

[st599_uk]

Passing through Heathrow, heard similar questions being asked of EU nationals at passport control - accommodation and return tickets.

[willem jongman]

Waiting for my plane to Rome to depart. Tough checks on covid but nothing on money etc of course.