Holiday/flight cancellations and refunds ( title updated )

[Footballfirst]

19 minutes ago, Sirudi said:

Due to fly there In 3 weeks time with easyjet, so thanks for the report.

Flying back at 9.30 at night, so if we are delayed by airport queues and miss the flight it could be a shambles. 
Will have to think if it is going to be worth  it.

 

Did you only have to do a lateral flow test before flying to Amsterdam ?

 

To be fair, the airport is pretty quiet by that time in the evening. It certainly was last night. Easyjet may have a different process to KLM, so might be less of a hassle. Just watch the departure boards and ensure that you at least check at the gate early enough to find out what checks are undertaken and to deal with any unforeseen eventualities.   

 

I think Easyjet is only flying Friday, Saturday and Monday to and from Edinburgh at the moment.  I'm booked with them in March next year.

 

The Netherlands require either a PCR least taken within 48 hours of departure, or an antigen within 24 hours.

 

The daily free antigen tests can be booked in advance at www.testenvoortoegang.org  There are a number of locations across the city so choose one that is close to where you are staying.  All they do is a simple nose swab up one nostril. 

Edited October 12, 2021 by Footballfirst

[Sirudi]

59 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

To be fair, the airport is pretty quiet by that time in the evening. It certainly was last night. Easyjet may have a different process to KLM, so might be less of a hassle. Just watch the departure boards and ensure that you at least check at the gate early enough to find out what checks are undertaken and to deal with any unforeseen eventualities.   

 

I think Easyjet is only flying Friday, Saturday and Monday to and from Edinburgh at the moment.  I'm booked with them in March next year.

 

The Netherlands require either a PCR least taken within 48 hours of departure, or an antigen within 24 hours.

 

The daily free antigen tests can be booked in advance at www.testenvoortoegang.org  There are a number of locations across the city so choose one that is close to where you are staying.  All they do is a simple nose swab up one nostril. 

Many thanks.

Much appreciated.

[Boab]

2 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

Long post alert.

 

I returned from my weekend trip to Amsterdam last night. I'd like to share my experience of travelling to and from there and the problems and  pitfalls we encountered, at least with the travel stuff.  It offers a cautionary tale that may help you be better prepared for your trips.

 

Going out: 

* The Netherlands requires a pre departure test which I took the day before travelling (Qured)

* There is no courtesy coach from the Long Stay car park at the moment. You have to walk.

* Because of the health checks required, KLM don't issue boarding passes online, so it meant joining a queue. Sadly there was only one person at the KLM/Air France desk doing the check-in for the bulk of passengers for multiple flights (health checks, boarding passes, checked in baggage). Over an hour and 15 mins spent in the queue. When it was our turn the girl checked our docs and asked the reason for out trip.  A reply of "Leisure" brought a response of "I'm sorry, UK tourists are not allowed into the Netherlands". I assured her that the rules had changed a few weeks ago. She brought up the guidelines on her screen and I pointed her to the list of exceptions which included fully vaccinated travellers. She then relented and allowed up to proceed but warned us that we may be turned back at the NL border. Basically she was not aware of the travel rules and I was worried I had read or interpreted them incorrectly.

* A mad dash through security managed to get us on the plane with a few minutes to spare.

* 10 minutes later the pilot informed us that due to us missing our slot, and fog in Amsterdam, we would remain stationery for a further 55 minutes.  When we eventually took off the flight was uneventful until landing in fog, as you could see nothing outside during out descent, until "bang" we hit the runway hard.  Our stress levels were bad enough not knowing if we would be allowed in the NL without a hard landing.

* Onto passport control at the NL border. A 30 minute wait in the non-EU queue, then up to the desk. I was again asked the purpose of out trip. I said "visiting friends", which barely registered and my passport was stamped.

* What a relief, we had arrived.

 

In Amsterdam

* The NL operates an corona pass system, on a phone app, based on the EU Digital Covid Certificate (the UK's vaccination Certificate is not compatible with the pass).  For travellers without the EU-DCC, you need to take a daily antigen test (free at multiple locations) which allows you access to hospitality and other venues for 24 hours. Getting tested was little more than an inconvenience as you got your results within minutes and you were able to upload a QR code into the NL app.

* I think I visited 7 different pubs during our stay. I was asked to show my pass for scanning in 2 of them. Similarly out of maybe 4 restaurants and another 4 cafes visited, 2 restaurants and 2 cafe's scanned the QR code.

* The city is slowly getting back to normal with masks only required on public transport. However bars are still required to close by midnight. 

 

Travelling home

* Checked in around 2.5 hours before the flight to be on the safe side after out experience at Edinburgh. Our Vaccine Status and UK Locator forms were checked at check-in.

* Onto security. Queuing time again. Over an hour of zig-zags before we got through as only half the scanners were in action.

* Passport Control, not too bad with just a 15 minute queue.

* Checked the departure board, saw that the flight was delayed by 15mins (not too bad).  Time for a pint.  The next check on the departure board asked us to go to a specific gate (although not the gate at which the flight was due to leave from). A check with KLM staff at the gate established that there was was a requirement to verify our Vaccine Status and UK Locator forms a second time and stamp our boarding passes.

* Problem! There was a huge queue that filled the gate and stretched beyond the next two gates. It turned out that there were passengers from up to 10 flights (mainly UK) all trying to get their papers checked at the same time.  It was an awful administrative procedure and queue management from KLM to create this second check of documents that had already been verified by KLM at check-in. It was asking for trouble. 

* Joined the queue, then at points there were calls for specific flight to jump the queue (although not Edinburgh). Eventually got the second check done and onto the departure gate (still 5 mins before the delayed departure time) only to be told that the flight was closed and that we couldn't get on board. We were advised to go to the Transfer Desk.

* Queue time again.  Another hour plus wait to see if we could be rebooked on a later flight.  Yes we could get on the flight but it would cost us €390. A debate, discussion and phone call later and the price was reduced to €190, which we paid under protest in order to get home. The agent on the desk suggested that we submit a compensation claim and helpfully advised that 10 people out of 90 on our flight didn't make the flight, so we weren't alone.

* On the flight back I spoke to another passenger who also missed our original flight. I asked him about the cost. He advised that he had been rebooked at no cost (by a different agent on the desk).  Cue steam coming out my ears.  Compensation claim already submitted.

* My stress levels still had a bit to rise though. On reaching the exit barrier and popping in my parking card, it asked for £120 (4 days parking) for what had been pre booked and pre paid for £14 a couple of months ago.  The supplied contact phone number proved to be invalid, so again I was left to pay the fee and claim it back afterwards. Thankfully, it appears the the airport will repay the charge following an email exchange.

 

The moral of the story is don't travel if you get stressed out by queues and delays.  They appear to be inevitable at the moment.  Give yourself lots of time at the airport to get through any checks that the airlines choose to make. Not being in the EU will also add time at the borders. 

 

Edit: Our time spent in Amsterdam was great. Our friends there were as delighted to see us, as we were to be there again.

Man, that would stress out a sloth !

Sounds horrendous, mate.

Hope Italy for me next month is better !

[buzz]

4 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

Long post alert.

 

I returned from my weekend trip to Amsterdam last night. I'd like to share my experience of travelling to and from there and the problems and  pitfalls we encountered, at least with the travel stuff.  It offers a cautionary tale that may help you be better prepared for your trips.

 

Going out: 

* The Netherlands requires a pre departure test which I took the day before travelling (Qured)

* There is no courtesy coach from the Long Stay car park at the moment. You have to walk.

* Because of the health checks required, KLM don't issue boarding passes online, so it meant joining a queue. Sadly there was only one person at the KLM/Air France desk doing the check-in for the bulk of passengers for multiple flights (health checks, boarding passes, checked in baggage). Over an hour and 15 mins spent in the queue. When it was our turn the girl checked our docs and asked the reason for out trip.  A reply of "Leisure" brought a response of "I'm sorry, UK tourists are not allowed into the Netherlands". I assured her that the rules had changed a few weeks ago. She brought up the guidelines on her screen and I pointed her to the list of exceptions which included fully vaccinated travellers. She then relented and allowed up to proceed but warned us that we may be turned back at the NL border. Basically she was not aware of the travel rules and I was worried I had read or interpreted them incorrectly.

* A mad dash through security managed to get us on the plane with a few minutes to spare.

* 10 minutes later the pilot informed us that due to us missing our slot, and fog in Amsterdam, we would remain stationery for a further 55 minutes.  When we eventually took off the flight was uneventful until landing in fog, as you could see nothing outside during out descent, until "bang" we hit the runway hard.  Our stress levels were bad enough not knowing if we would be allowed in the NL without a hard landing.

* Onto passport control at the NL border. A 30 minute wait in the non-EU queue, then up to the desk. I was again asked the purpose of out trip. I said "visiting friends", which barely registered and my passport was stamped.

* What a relief, we had arrived.

 

In Amsterdam

* The NL operates an corona pass system, on a phone app, based on the EU Digital Covid Certificate (the UK's vaccination Certificate is not compatible with the pass).  For travellers without the EU-DCC, you need to take a daily antigen test (free at multiple locations) which allows you access to hospitality and other venues for 24 hours. Getting tested was little more than an inconvenience as you got your results within minutes and you were able to upload a QR code into the NL app.

* I think I visited 7 different pubs during our stay. I was asked to show my pass for scanning in 2 of them. Similarly out of maybe 4 restaurants and another 4 cafes visited, 2 restaurants and 2 cafe's scanned the QR code.

* The city is slowly getting back to normal with masks only required on public transport. However bars are still required to close by midnight. 

 

Travelling home

* Checked in around 2.5 hours before the flight to be on the safe side after out experience at Edinburgh. Our Vaccine Status and UK Locator forms were checked at check-in.

* Onto security. Queuing time again. Over an hour of zig-zags before we got through as only half the scanners were in action.

* Passport Control, not too bad with just a 15 minute queue.

* Checked the departure board, saw that the flight was delayed by 15mins (not too bad).  Time for a pint.  The next check on the departure board asked us to go to a specific gate (although not the gate at which the flight was due to leave from). A check with KLM staff at the gate established that there was was a requirement to verify our Vaccine Status and UK Locator forms a second time and stamp our boarding passes.

* Problem! There was a huge queue that filled the gate and stretched beyond the next two gates. It turned out that there were passengers from up to 10 flights (mainly UK) all trying to get their papers checked at the same time.  It was an awful administrative procedure and queue management from KLM to create this second check of documents that had already been verified by KLM at check-in. It was asking for trouble. 

* Joined the queue, then at points there were calls for specific flight to jump the queue (although not Edinburgh). Eventually got the second check done and onto the departure gate (still 5 mins before the delayed departure time) only to be told that the flight was closed and that we couldn't get on board. We were advised to go to the Transfer Desk.

* Queue time again.  Another hour plus wait to see if we could be rebooked on a later flight.  Yes we could get on the flight but it would cost us €390. A debate, discussion and phone call later and the price was reduced to €190, which we paid under protest in order to get home. The agent on the desk suggested that we submit a compensation claim and helpfully advised that 10 people out of 90 on our flight didn't make the flight, so we weren't alone.

* On the flight back I spoke to another passenger who also missed our original flight. I asked him about the cost. He advised that he had been rebooked at no cost (by a different agent on the desk).  Cue steam coming out my ears.  Compensation claim already submitted.

* My stress levels still had a bit to rise though. On reaching the exit barrier and popping in my parking card, it asked for £120 (4 days parking) for what had been pre booked and pre paid for £14 a couple of months ago.  The supplied contact phone number proved to be invalid, so again I was left to pay the fee and claim it back afterwards. Thankfully, it appears the the airport will repay the charge following an email exchange.

 

The moral of the story is don't travel if you get stressed out by queues and delays.  They appear to be inevitable at the moment.  Give yourself lots of time at the airport to get through any checks that the airlines choose to make. Not being in the EU will also add time at the borders. 

 

Edit: Our time spent in Amsterdam was great. Our friends there were as delighted to see us, as we were to be there again.

I absolutely hated airports in pre-covid times. That story sounds like my idea of Hell. I think I’ll be avoiding overseas air travel for the time being!

[Footballfirst]

8 minutes ago, buzz said:

I absolutely hated airports in pre-covid times. That story sounds like my idea of Hell. I think I’ll be avoiding overseas air travel for the time being!

Some of the delays and issues encountered had nothing to do with Covid, e.g. parking, plane delays and fog, while delays as passport control are mainly due to Brexit.

[buzz]

3 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

Some of the delays and issues encountered had nothing to do with Covid, e.g. parking, plane delays and fog, while delays as passport control are mainly due to Brexit.

Fair point. I’ll still be avoiding it though.

[Nucky Thompson]

27 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

Some of the delays and issues encountered had nothing to do with Covid, e.g. parking, plane delays and fog, while delays as passport control are mainly due to Brexit.

Do you think that they are deliberately being awkward to 'punish' British passengers for Brexit?

 

Asking to check your papers for a 2nd time and therefore missing your flight is pretty bad patter

Edited October 12, 2021 by Nucky Thompson

[graygo]

1 hour ago, Lord BJ said:

I have been encouraged by the travel process, to date. It’s a bit more paperwork and PPE but that apart, the process has been pretty much same as pre COVID. We’re defo going to warmer climes over the festive period and will be looking to return to our, schools out passports out approach; sorry Greta/Charlie boy but I’m a selfish *****. 

 

I'm quietly confident it'll not be bad enough to put me off traveling but I'll probably give myself a wee bit extra time on Sunday just in case.

[Footballfirst]

2 hours ago, Nucky Thompson said:

Do you think that they are deliberately being awkward to 'punish' British passengers for Brexit?

 

Asking to check your papers for a 2nd time and therefore missing your flight is pretty bad patter

I don't think so. I recall seeing queues at non EU passports control while we were in the EU and thought that this is what is coming for us.

 

The double check is annoying, but it happened pre covid.  You would have your passport checked at check-in, your boarding pass at security, your passport again at passport control, your passport and boarding pass at the gate, and finally your boarding pass when stepping on the plane.

 

Some of those check are/were fairly cursory, but they still happen.

 

Given the Covid situation and the checks airlines are being asked to do by their governments, it should encourage airlines to be as efficient as possible, and thus encourage people to travel because the checking process is as simple as it can be. 

 

The KLM/Amsterdam situation may be due in part to the changes applied by the NL government when they relaxed travel restrictions as recently as 22 September.

Edited October 12, 2021 by Footballfirst

[Dazo]

7 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

I don't think so. I recall seeing queues at non EU passports control while we were in the EU and thought that this is what is coming for us.

 

The double check is annoying, but it happened pre covid.  You would have your passport checked at check-in, your boarding pass at security, your passport again at passport control, your passport and boarding pass at the gate, and finally your boarding pass when stepping on the plane.

 

Some of those check are/were fairly cursory, but they still happen.

 

Given the Covid situation and the checks airlines are being asked to do by their governments, it should encourage airlines to be as efficient as possible, and thus encourage people to travel because the checking process is as simple as it can be. 

 

The KLM/Amsterdam situation may be due in part to the changes applied by the NL government when they relaxed travel restrictions as recently as 22 September.

My experience has always been different regarding EU and non EU passport control. Always queues at EU desks and barely anyone at non eu, although generally only 1 desk for non eu. I’m away on Monday so will see how it goes. 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

11 hours ago, Footballfirst said:

I don't think so. I recall seeing queues at non EU passports control while we were in the EU and thought that this is what is coming for us.

 

The double check is annoying, but it happened pre covid.  You would have your passport checked at check-in, your boarding pass at security, your passport again at passport control, your passport and boarding pass at the gate, and finally your boarding pass when stepping on the plane.

 

Some of those check are/were fairly cursory, but they still happen.

 

Given the Covid situation and the checks airlines are being asked to do by their governments, it should encourage airlines to be as efficient as possible, and thus encourage people to travel because the checking process is as simple as it can be. 

 

The KLM/Amsterdam situation may be due in part to the changes applied by the NL government when they relaxed travel restrictions as recently as 22 September.

 

I've seen it both ways, queues at one and not the other, it entirely depends how many flights there are around the same time frame and where they are going.

 

Venice was the worse airport for us, as the queues were so long there was only one queue stretching right back into duty-free, both EU & non-EU waiting in the same line, airline staff wandering up and down asking for people from this flight or that flight to come with them as last calls were being made. There was seperate EU & non-EU gates but the split was around several corners and there were no signs or staff telling people where to go, complete shambles, then when we got to the gate both the Edinburgh & Cardiff flights were in one queue as well, total Italian organisational feck-up, utter shambles and this was long before brexit or covid.

[Jambo-Jimbo]

15 hours ago, buzz said:

I absolutely hated airports in pre-covid times. That story sounds like my idea of Hell. I think I’ll be avoiding overseas air travel for the time being!

 

Mrs JJ is also at that point, and that was also pre-covid, pre-brexit as well, she was increasingly peeved-off with the time faffing about at airports, it's one of the reasons why she has no interest whatsoever in going abroad, at least not until things settle down a bit post-covid & post-brexit.

 

I showed her FF's post about Amsterdam and that's just re-inforced her decision of not going abroad for the time being, she just can't be arsed with all the faffing about now, can't say I like it all that much either, hence why we'll just wait for the time being.

[Footballfirst]

9 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

Mrs JJ is also at that point, and that was also pre-covid, pre-brexit as well, she was increasingly peeved-off with the time faffing about at airports, it's one of the reasons why she has no interest whatsoever in going abroad, at least not until things settle down a bit post-covid & post-brexit.

 

I showed her FF's post about Amsterdam and that's just re-inforced her decision of not going abroad for the time being, she just can't be arsed with all the faffing about now, can't say I like it all that much either, hence why we'll just wait for the time being.

I missed one other minor irritation at Edinburgh Airport. On our return the plane came in at Gate 2. Good I thought, as that is next to the international arrivals / passport control access. Off the plane via the air bridge, down the stairs and into Arrivals.  No, off via the air bridge, downstairs, but back onto the tarmac to be ushered onto a bus to take us to the newer International Arrivals hall at the other end of the airport.

 

It wasn't that much of an issue but, at the time, it just seemed that everything was conspiring to make the travel experience as drawn out and unpleasant as possible.

[Jambo-Jimbo]

44 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

I missed one other minor irritation at Edinburgh Airport. On our return the plane came in at Gate 2. Good I thought, as that is next to the international arrivals / passport control access. Off the plane via the air bridge, down the stairs and into Arrivals.  No, off via the air bridge, downstairs, but back onto the tarmac to be ushered onto a bus to take us to the newer International Arrivals hall at the other end of the airport.

 

It wasn't that much of an issue but, at the time, it just seemed that everything was conspiring to make the travel experience as drawn out and unpleasant as possible.

 

Look on the bright side, maybe that's all your 'shit happens' in one go.

 

Just all sounds a nightmare.

[Boab]

The EU stories are one thing. The States another thing entirely. Vowed never to go via Heathrow to NY after waiting 2 and a half hours at immigration in NY. After a 7 hour flight, it was torture !

Next time we went, we went via Dublin, with immigration pre-flight. Hour and a half at Dublin.

Heaven knows what's like now.

[Taffin]

Sounds like a complete and utter farce. To think I travelled abroad last September and it was not any more stressful than pre-Covid.

 

Governments and businesses in the travel industry need to get their act together...although it doesn't surprise me that horror story from FF involved KLM.

[henryheart]

What FF reports sounds horrendous. It reminds me of Heathrow Terminal 5 and BA; a place and an airline that I have vowed never to return to/use again. 

 

Looking at the situation for Fuerteventura I noted last week on Trip Advisor under the heading 'No worries' arrival was reported to involve an 'easy quick show of the passport and scan of the SpTH and done. Off the plane to grabbing luggage was about 5 mins.' No other posters have sought to contradict this, although the time is obviously a bit of an exaggeration as unless you are Linford Christie it would be impossible to get from the aircraft to luggage claim in that time. I suppose it only goes to reflects that experiences will differ depending on where you are going and how busy the airport is.   

[Footballfirst]

2 minutes ago, henryheart said:

What FF reports sounds horrendous. It reminds me of Heathrow Terminal 5 and BA; a place and an airline that I have vowed never to return to/use again. 

 

Looking at the situation for Fuerteventura I noted last week on Trip Advisor under the heading 'No worries' arrival was reported to involve an 'easy quick show of the passport and scan of the SpTH and done. Off the plane to grabbing luggage was about 5 mins.' No other posters have sought to contradict this, although the time is obviously a bit of an exaggeration as unless you are Linford Christie it would be impossible to get from the aircraft to luggage claim in that time. I suppose it only goes to reflects that experiences will differ depending on where you are going and how busy the airport is.   

I was in Majorca in early September, and while there were extra documentation checks, they were well organised and resourced at Palma airport, so any delays were kept to a minimum.  The Jet 2 check-in at Edinburgh was pretty poor then too, mainly because of lack of resources allocated to the task.

 

As I mentioned earlier, some of the problems with my Amsterdam trip were not related to Covid, but served to create a perfect storm of anything that could have gone wrong ultimately did.

[Shanks said no]

New rules for returning to the UK come into force on 24th October 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58917231

 

not sure I understand them yet as I thought you could pick up free lateral flow tests from pharmacies 

[Dazo]

Nope has to be the privately bought ones. Still half the price or so compared to pcr and a good step forward the travel industry. Saying that likely too late for most people for the Scottish October holidays but will help for those going abroad at Christmas/January time.

Edited October 15, 2021 by Dazo

[Doctor FinnBarr]

37 minutes ago, Dazo said:

Nope has to be the privately bought ones. Still half the price or so compared to pcr and a good step forward the travel industry. Saying that likely too late for most people for the Scottish October holidays but will help for those going abroad at Christmas/January time.

 

Hoping to take Mrs Saunders to Tenerife in January for her birthday. Can you, or anyone else spell out exactly what I need to do?

[Boab]

22 minutes ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

Hoping to take Mrs Saunders to Tenerife in January for her birthday. Can you, or anyone else spell out exactly what I need to do?

It's on that link above.

Tests will be available to order from the NHS Website from the 22nd.

All we need now isvthe SG to make them available on the Scottish site.

They have a week to sort it out.

 

Keep Swinnay away from it would be my advice.

[graygo]

2 hours ago, Dazo said:

Nope has to be the privately bought ones. Still half the price or so compared to pcr and a good step forward the travel industry. Saying that likely too late for most people for the Scottish October holidays but will help for those going abroad at Christmas/January time.

 

I got my 2 day PCR tests for £28 each and lateral flow tests for £22.50 each.  

All bought before the new rules. 🤬

[Dazo]

2 hours ago, FinnBarr Saunders said:

 

Hoping to take Mrs Saunders to Tenerife in January for her birthday. Can you, or anyone else spell out exactly what I need to do?

Assuming you are both double jagged and the Scottish government follow suit with all else remaining  the same it’s pretty straightforward for you. Passenger locator forms for both directions then later flow on day 2 of your return. 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

1 hour ago, Awbdy Oot said:

 

I got my 2 day PCR tests for £28 each and lateral flow tests for £22.50 each.  

All bought before the new rules. 🤬

 

I'm probably missing something here (I often do), but I thought lateral flow tests were free from the NHS, you send away for a pack of 7 and they get mailed out to you.

[Sooperstar]

6 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

 

I'm probably missing something here (I often do), but I thought lateral flow tests were free from the NHS, you send away for a pack of 7 and they get mailed out to you.

They are but those ones aren't valid for the travel rules. I imagine the ones used for travel rules are tracked via the code on the test, to make sure that people aren't just using another random LFT which may not have been done by them or may not have been done at the specified time.

[Boab]

43 minutes ago, Sooperstar said:

They are but those ones aren't valid for the travel rules. I imagine the ones used for travel rules are tracked via the code on the test, to make sure that people aren't just using another random LFT which may not have been done by them or may not have been done at the specified time.

In other words, a racket.

They are accepted in many other places like hospitality and care homes etc.

[redtipsjambo]

Hotel in Crete issued me with a government backed voucher as opposed to a refund when I asked for refund June 2020 because of no flights.

Thought I would never see the cash, but it has now deposited the money back into my bank account, nice wee surprise, even if 18 months down the line.

 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

2 hours ago, Sooperstar said:

They are but those ones aren't valid for the travel rules. I imagine the ones used for travel rules are tracked via the code on the test, to make sure that people aren't just using another random LFT which may not have been done by them or may not have been done at the specified time.

 

Sounds like a rip-off to me tbh, because the same lateral flow tests which would be ok for example NHS staff/care home staff then become unacceptable if that same NHS/care home staff member has been abroad. 

 

Do you see what I'm saying.

 

 

 

[Shanks said no]

1 hour ago, redtipsjambo said:

Hotel in Crete issued me with a government backed voucher as opposed to a refund when I asked for refund June 2020 because of no flights.

Thought I would never see the cash, but it has now deposited the money back into my bank account, nice wee surprise, even if 18 months down the line.

 

I claimed my last remaining refund on 30 September for Greek ferry tickets cancelled June 20. Told cash (£200) would take 15-20 working days to come through. If this succeeds then from 12 cancellations my only loss was a couple of train tickets to Manchester that were deemed non refundable. 

[Shanks said no]

TUI are offering the test for £15 each for the lateral flow test, that will do me as I had budgeted £75 each if this didn’t come through 

 

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/info/covid19-testing

 

 

[graygo]

On 12/10/2021 at 21:01, Lord BJ said:

I have been encouraged by the travel process, to date. It’s a bit more paperwork and PPE but that apart, the process has been pretty much same as pre COVID. We’re defo going to warmer climes over the festive period and will be looking to return to our, schools out passports out approach; sorry Greta/Charlie boy but I’m a selfish *****. 

 

No checks at Edinburgh for us yesterday, handed all our paperwork over to customs in Faro and was through in a couple of minutes. 👍

 

Scant evidence of face coverings today other than the British, just said to the Mrs it's like the pandemic either never happened here or it's been and gone.

[Boab]

Question for anyone who has just returned from abroad. 
Do you need to book the day 2 test before you travel or when you get back ?

Sorry if it sounds daft, wondering whether to hang off till rules change on the 22nd !

[Footballfirst]

42 minutes ago, Boab said:

Question for anyone who has just returned from abroad. 
Do you need to book the day 2 test before you travel or when you get back ?

Sorry if it sounds daft, wondering whether to hang off till rules change on the 22nd !

You need to book it before you complete your UK Locator form (within 48 hours before your return) as you need to enter your booking reference on the form.  So you can book it while you are away, e.g. on the last day of your holiday, as long as it is before you complete your Locator form. 

[Boab]

32 minutes ago, Footballfirst said:

You need to book it before you complete your UK Locator form (within 48 hours before your return) as you need to enter your booking reference on the form.  So you can book it while you are away, e.g. on the last day of your holiday, as long as it is before you complete your Locator form. 

Thanks.

👍

[OBE]

I assume the Sco gov approved LFT's will available to buy from the 22nd....

[Footballfirst]

3 hours ago, OBE said:

I assume the Sco gov approved LFT's will available to buy from the 22nd....

I don't see why not as they already accept UK approved PCR tests.

[Dazo]

For anyone heading abroad the process was seamless going through immigration in the Tenerife. Locator forms checked same time as our passports. Was in the taxi 10 minutes after picking up our cases. 

[OBE]

23 hours ago, Dazo said:

For anyone heading abroad the process was seamless going through immigration in the Tenerife. Locator forms checked same time as our passports. Was in the taxi 10 minutes after picking up our cases. 

 

Thanks for bringing the clouds with you, I've missed em...😉

[Dazo]

40 minutes ago, OBE said:

 

Thanks for bringing the clouds with you, I've missed em...😉

😂😂😂

[OBE]

Ever weighed the amount of shit your wife, bursd, bint or broad takes on holiday...**ck me...just because some frigging advert says their worth it...

 

[Tommy Brown]

7 hours ago, OBE said:

Ever weighed the amount of shit your wife, bursd, bint or broad takes on holiday...**ck me...just because some frigging advert says their worth it...

 

Where are you OBE?

I'm in Amarilla Golf, back home this Wednesday though😢

[OBE]

1 hour ago, Tommy Brown said:

Where are you OBE?

I'm in Amarilla Golf, back home this Wednesday though😢

 

I'm in Los Cristianos. Fly home tomorrow, been here for 9 days so far. 1st day was braw, in a bar watching the tribute act game that housed a few grown...naw, really grown men with their girded blue taps on, what an ending. Shame about yesterday.

 

You golfing over here, would be rude not to staying on the course? Glad you're fit for travelling.

 

Wee Sturgeon never copied Boris with the cheaper lateral flows. Expert Medical still doing the day 2 PCR's for £28 quid, saved £140 for the 3 of us.

 

Just been telt to get my arse in gear for more shopping for shit. Take it easy and enjoy your break. This holiday has been special on so many counts.

 

Adios TB, stay healthy...

[Tommy Brown]

50 minutes ago, OBE said:

 

I'm in Los Cristianos. Fly home tomorrow, been here for 9 days so far. 1st day was braw, in a bar watching the tribute act game that housed a few grown...naw, really grown men with their girded blue taps on, what an ending. Shame about yesterday.

 

You golfing over here, would be rude not to staying on the course? Glad you're fit for travelling.

 

Wee Sturgeon never copied Boris with the cheaper lateral flows. Expert Medical still doing the day 2 PCR's for £28 quid, saved £140 for the 3 of us.

 

Just been telt to get my arse in gear for more shopping for shit. Take it easy and enjoy your break. This holiday has been special on so many counts.

 

Adios TB, stay healthy...

Thanks for the tip.

 

Not golf since May, can't be arsed this week. Ease myself back in over winter.

 

Give you shout for Pumphy, no mats

[the general]

Where are the best / cheapest places in Edinburgh to get the Fit to Fly PCR tests?

 

Thanks

[Dazo]

5 minutes ago, the general said:

Where are the best / cheapest places in Edinburgh to get the Fit to Fly PCR tests?

 

Thanks

Think obe quoted the cheapest above but we used Randox for our 12 year old who are about £42 and the service was perfect. They have drop boxes in Roseburn and Newington and have the results back in around 24 hours. 

[the general]

18 minutes ago, Dazo said:

Think obe quoted the cheapest above but we used Randox for our 12 year old who are about £42 and the service was perfect. They have drop boxes in Roseburn and Newington and have the results back in around 24 hours. 

 

Cheers Dazo

I read his post as the day 2 on return

Where I'm looking for pre departure

[Dazo]

3 hours ago, the general said:

 

Cheers Dazo

I read his post as the day 2 on return

Where I'm looking for pre departure

Aye, I just assumed they’d be just as cheap for the pre departure. 

[graygo]

10 hours ago, the general said:

 

Cheers Dazo

I read his post as the day 2 on return

Where I'm looking for pre departure

 

I used Qured for the pre-departure, worked really well with almost instant results. Cost £22.50 using this discount code at checkout - CHELSEA10

 

 

[highlandjambo3]

On 07/10/2021 at 13:56, Footballfirst said:

You can delay booking your PCR test until you are ready to complete your UK locator form a day or two before your return.  At least that way you will have the best opportunity of matching the cheapest test to the legal requirement when you return.

 

The UK government was looking to bring in a Day 2 LFT for the English school holidays.  The Scottish government has committed to following the UK lead. If it is being delayed until November then it will miss the school holiday period.

 

I was hoping that the change would have come earlier as I have just booked a Day 2 PCR test this morning for my return from Amsterdam next week.  I waited until I had confirmation that my pre departure test for Amsterdam was negative. i.e. there was no point in booking it before it was confirmed I could travel there.

 

I notice that Randox is now offering Day 2 PCR tests for as little as £34.99 if you use "click and collect".  The only problem is that the nearest collection points are the best part of 200 miles away in Blackburn or Leeds. 

 

 

Watching Heathrow airport program the other day.  Guy landed at arrivals with no day 2 test booked, he said he couldn’t afford it but he would go and get a test in 2 days time…….started with the airport staff where he insisted he was not paying so the cops were called.  After a lengthy debate with the cops where they insisted he must (or should have) have a day 2 test booked, he continued to insist he wasn’t paying for it.  Eventually they let him go insisting he better get the test done in 2 days time of face a fine of xxxx……..the outcome was like he could get into serious trouble if he didn’t do a test in 2 days time but he hadn’t broken the law………smug arse looked back at the camera with a look like “I’m not doing it and, you don’t have the means to check up on that”.

 

So, the question begs: must have a test booked or should have a test booked?