[Travel] Travellers heading to the UK will now have to have a Covid test before their departure

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Although I agree, I’m fairly sure there would be an equal outcry if it was implemented with immediate effect.

Indeed. Someone wishing to sneak into the UK with Covid would certainly have been miffed. Giving them a few days grace, just to dampen outcry, seems a little gutless of HMG.

That said, 4 days versus no days....they either had their tickets booked or not, so the level of outcry wouldn't be too dissimilar.

All in all....this has the imperative of Saint Augustine written all over it.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Can’t see why some are complaining about this ?
Travel sector bosses saying it’s devastating news ? Why ?
I went to fueteventura in September had to do a pre departure test and a day 2 test on my return.
Did I ever think about cancelling my holiday because of this ?? NO !!
In fact I was glad for the peace of mind that I hadn’t caught COVID and wasn’t going to be on a plane full of possible infected people !

why is adding £120 plus pp to the cost of a holiday devastating to the travel industry? No idea…..

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Indeed. Someone wishing to sneak into the UK with Covid would certainly have been miffed. Giving them a few days grace, just to dampen outcry, seems a little gutless of HMG.

That said, 4 days versus no days....they either had their tickets booked or not, so the level of outcry wouldn't be too dissimilar.

All in all....this has the imperative of Saint Augustine written all over it.

Well given the fuss that was made the first time around with ‘minimal notice’ from those abroad, I would suggest tHMG would be criticised if they do and criticised if they don’t.

 

[Bakero]

It depends on different circumstances. I wanted to travel from here ( France) to the UK for a four day visit, to see my children, extended family, friends and a couple of visits to the pub, a visit to the Amex and xmas shopping... ( the UK does Xmas so much better than here...lol..!).

If I visit now, the day I arrive I have to go straight into isolation. The next day is counted as Isolation Day 1. The folllowing day, Isolation Day 2...take PCR test...and wait. The next day, still isolated and awaiting result of Day 2 test. The next day, hopefully at some stage I will receive my test result. I was going to fly back here that evening.

Five days in total and only allowed out to go to the airport to get on my returning flight.

It is what it is, but it's disappointing nonetheless.

You can do your PCR any time between arrival and Day 2.

 

[cjd]

You can do your PCR any time between arrival and Day 2.

Thankyou. I have just seen that.

I just hope the results don't get lost in the system as has happened with the last two times I visited the UK with a LFT. On neither occasion did they inform me that my test was negative. Had to phone them after 4 days to get through to someone to confirm my result.

 

[The Wookiee]

why is adding £120 plus pp to the cost of a holiday devastating to the travel industry? No idea…..

So paying an extra £120 per person for peace of mind you aren’t bringing covid back to the uk after spending 2 weeks living the life of luxury whilst on holiday, is too much of a price to pay ?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Well given the fuss that was made the first time around with ‘minimal notice’ from those abroad, I would suggest tHMG would be criticised if they do and criticised if they don’t.

That's very true

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

So paying an extra £120 per person for peace of mind you aren’t bringing covid back to the uk after spending 2 weeks living the life of luxury whilst on holiday, is too much of a price to pay ?

That wasn’t the question….

But I assume you are able to afford it, so it’s ok for you, many people can’t.

 

[The Wookiee]

That wasn’t the question….

But I assume you are able to afford it, so it’s ok for you, many people can’t.

The pre departure test cost me 30 euros, hardly a massive cost compared to the cost of the holiday.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

The pre departure test cost me 30 euros, hardly a massive cost compared to the cost of the holiday.

X 4 add a PCR on return and test on departure - people are cancelling at large numbers.

 

[LamieRobertson]

I'm sure there are ways round this. If Russian nukes were launched would we have to wait 24h before declaring war ourselves?

As has been said if you were in the process of returning home it could been construed as unfair ..bit of a political dig there?

 

[LamieRobertson]

The pre departure test cost me 30 euros, hardly a massive cost compared to the cost of the holiday.

Well good for you ..maybe not so others

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I spent a week in France at the end of Oct and didn't have to do any test at all to return (as I'm double vaccinated UK citizen). Just had to do a day 2 test after I got back. This is because the requirements were eased around the autumn half term.

I remember now, but the previous arrangement wasn’t that onerous.

 

[The Wookiee]

X 4 add a PCR on return and test on departure - people are cancelling at large numbers.

But weren’t people also booking in large numbers earlier in the year, when the double jabbed didn’t have to isolate but still had to do both tests ?

 

[Terry Butcher Tribute Act]

Just a cautious and sensible stepping back whilst we wait to understand the seriousness of the new variant….slight delay in implementation as otherwise anyone travelling imminently might have trouble getting a test.

Had to do this in September (and had planned to again in October but the rules changed literally the day we returned on 4/10). No big deal really. For the one we had to do, ordered self-testing kits and took them with us (discounted by the tour operator - think they were £20 each) and got the negative proof certification back instantly after uploading a picture of the cartridge.

Don't be so bloody sensible. We have to be outraged at every Covid decision these days.

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Have a short break booked for Innsbruck earlydoors in January. Looked a triple-jabbed breeze a month ago. Now Austria's in lockdown and UK is demanding 2 paid-for tests. If (when) Austria come out of lockdown and also demand a pre-travel test, that'll be it. F*ck it, the Easyjet vouchers can go back in the pot yet again, and the booking.com hotel can be cancelled latedoors cost-free. Not hard to see the wider knock-on economic effects of what very many people like me will almost inevitably, very reluctantly, end up having to do

 

[dazzer6666]

But weren’t people also booking in large numbers earlier in the year, when the double jabbed didn’t have to isolate but still had to do both tests ?

Yes…..and anyone booking anything would have to be a bit dim to think rules weren’t going to keep changing at very short notice. It’s part an d parcel of booking any travel at the moment (I’ve just booked a holiday this morning - just made sure everything is refundable/changeable as no idea whether it’ll be doable at the time).

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

But weren’t people also booking in large numbers earlier in the year, when the double jabbed didn’t have to isolate but still had to do both tests ?

The main surge of bookings was when after they removed the departure test/arrival test was LFT

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Can someone explain.
For those that have returned and were allowed 2 days to take a test, what happened if you couldn't be bothered?
Did you get a knock on the door in the middle of the night?
Were you dragged off and publicly flogged?
Were you given a Crystal Palace season ticket?
Do the Government actually have the means to ensure these people were doing the right thing?

 

[East Staffs Gull]

Can someone explain.
For those that have returned and were allowed 2 days to take a test, what happened if you couldn't be bothered?
Did you get a knock on the door in the middle of the night?
Were you dragged off and publicly flogged?
Were you given a Crystal Palace season ticket?
Do the Government actually have the means to ensure these people were doing the right thing?

The reality is that people will probably get away with cheating the process. Technically, the authorities will know from the data exactly who purchased tests, who submitted tests, etc., so there is a residual risk of getting caught at some point down the line. The government would need to spend further millions to try to make the testing process watertight. Would we rather have that, with no guarantee of success, or a process that the vast majority will comply with?