Holiday/flight cancellations and refunds ( title updated )

[jvm32]

44 minutes ago, westbow said:

£95 for a pcr in Edinburgh airport - antigen airport drive through and home tests available cheaper. Not sure I trust them to deliver on time though.

It doesn't need to be a PCR to get in to America, an LFT test will do fine. Can get them done in boots at the gyle for about £30, or you can do them over a video call with companies like Breathe Assured, costs about the same as boots.

[hmfc_liam06]

Looking for a wee bit advice.

 

I’m due to fly to the US next Sunday so will need to take my test next Saturday. The problem is I’m currently positive and concerned I’ll test positive next week.

 

In times gone by I’d have gotten a PCR thru the NHS and be considered to have recovered, which is also acceptable for the US. But given they are no longer an option through the NHS, what should I do?

 

Trip to Disney with the wee one, she’ll be heartbroken if we can’t go because I fail the test.

[jvm32]

2 hours ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

Looking for a wee bit advice.

 

I’m due to fly to the US next Sunday so will need to take my test next Saturday. The problem is I’m currently positive and concerned I’ll test positive next week.

 

In times gone by I’d have gotten a PCR thru the NHS and be considered to have recovered, which is also acceptable for the US. But given they are no longer an option through the NHS, what should I do?

 

Trip to Disney with the wee one, she’ll be heartbroken if we can’t go because I fail the test.

 

Did you log your positive test on the NHS website?

 

The only route around testing to get in to the US at the moment is to get a recovery certificate. There are lots of companies out there that do it (the NHS won't give you one, needs to be a private company), but to get one you need to have proof of the positive test logged with the NHS, and it also needs to be 10 days since the positive test was logged as well.

 

If you didn't log your positive test, you could obviously go on and log it now, but it will be too late to get a recovery certificate as you can't backdate the results any more than 1 day, so your only hope is testing negative on the pre departure test.

[jvm32]

I just had a quick check about the 10 days thing, its actually a bit wooly. There are companies that will issue you with a recovery certificate 7 days after a positive test (healthify is the company I just checked), so if you haven't logged your results already I would go on and log it with effect from yesterday so that you could qualify to get the recovery certificate.

 

The entry criteria to the US says the following:

 

You tested positive for COVID-19.

• Do not travel until a full 10 days after your symptoms started or the date your positive test was taken if you had no symptoms.

So definitely not clear cut that you need to be 10 days since the positive test, simply 10 days since you started showing symptoms. I would think a recovery certificate with a positive test result 8 days earlier could be fine, but it is a bit touch and go.

Edited May 28, 2022 by jvm32

[Dazo]

2 hours ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

Looking for a wee bit advice.

 

I’m due to fly to the US next Sunday so will need to take my test next Saturday. The problem is I’m currently positive and concerned I’ll test positive next week.

 

In times gone by I’d have gotten a PCR thru the NHS and be considered to have recovered, which is also acceptable for the US. But given they are no longer an option through the NHS, what should I do?

 

Trip to Disney with the wee one, she’ll be heartbroken if we can’t go because I fail the test.

Get someone to do the test for you. It’s that simple, Don’t ***** about or risk letting the wee one down. 

[The Real Maroonblood]

2 minutes ago, Dazo said:

Get someone to do the test for you. It’s that simple, Don’t ***** about or risk letting the wee one down. 

[jvm32]

9 minutes ago, Dazo said:

Get someone to do the test for you. It’s that simple, Don’t ***** about or risk letting the wee one down. 

 

It needs to be a supervised test to go to the US, so it makes that option a bit tricky, although some companies are less rigorous than others.

Edited May 28, 2022 by jvm32

[hmfc_liam06]

8 minutes ago, Dazo said:

Get someone to do the test for you. It’s that simple, Don’t ***** about or risk letting the wee one down. 

It need to be a supervised test, got to take my passport etc to it.

[Dazo]

That’s unfortunate. 

[milky_26]

4 minutes ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

It need to be a supervised test, got to take my passport etc to it.

how about taking daily LFTs to find out when you are starting to test negative

[jvm32]

10 minutes ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

It need to be a supervised test, got to take my passport etc to it.

You can do it over a video call as well, companies like dochq and breathe assured, and some pay more attention than others. 

 

If I was you I would be logging your positive test today, with yesterday's date against it, so you have the possibility of a recovery certificate as a back up option. 

Edited May 28, 2022 by jvm32

[hmfc_liam06]

32 minutes ago, jvm32 said:

You can do it over a video call as well, companies like dochq and breathe assured, and some pay more attention than others. 

 

If I was you I would be logging your positive test today, with yesterday's date against it, so you have the possibility of a recovery certificate as a back up option. 

Might logging the positive not lead to potential issues with entry to the states if it’s less than 10 days?

[jvm32]

8 minutes ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

Might logging the positive not lead to potential issues with entry to the states if it’s less than 10 days?

 

I can't see how, they will be completely unaware of the fact you logged a positive result if you don't go down the recovery certificate route. On top of that, the rules above don't state you are barred from entry if you test positive within 10 days. 

 

If you test negative that's all that matters, but if you need to go down the recovery certificate route that's when the date will come in to play and that's the only time they will be aware of the date of the positive result. However, as I said above it doesn't actually state you need to be 10 days clear of a positive result, simply 10 days since you first had symptoms, if using a recovery certificate. 

 

Your problem is, if you don't log the results today with an effective date of yesterday then you definitely can't go down the recovery certificate route, as I'm not aware of any company that would give you one with less than 7 days clear of a positive result (when day of reporting is counted as day 0 not day 1).

Edited May 28, 2022 by jvm32

[hmfc_liam06]

24 minutes ago, jvm32 said:

 

I can't see how, they will be completely unaware of the fact you logged a positive result if you don't go down the recovery certificate route. On top of that, the rules above don't state you are barred from entry if you test positive within 10 days. 

 

If you test negative that's all that matters, but if you need to go down the recovery certificate route that's when the date will come in to play and that's the only time they will be aware of the date of the positive result. However, as I said above it doesn't actually state you need to be 10 days clear of a positive result, simply 10 days since you first had symptoms, if using a recovery certificate. 

 

Your problem is, if you don't log the results today with an effective date of yesterday then you definitely can't go down the recovery certificate route, as I'm not aware of any company that would give you one with less than 7 days clear of a positive result (when day of reporting is counted as day 0 not day 1).

Cheers mate, I’ve done the test and logged it with the NHS, got my confirmation. I’ll get the recovery next Saturday worst case scenario, cheers 👍

[jvm32]

4 minutes ago, hmfc_liam06 said:

Cheers mate, I’ve done the test and logged it with the NHS, got my confirmation. I’ll get the recovery next Saturday worst case scenario, cheers 👍

 

No worries, hope it all goes well, ideally you will just test negative and it will be all good. 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

Widespread travel chaos again at the airports, hundreds of flights cancelled, even some people already sitting on the plane only for the flight/holiday to get cancelled.  Easyjet, Tui & British Airways seem to be the worst affected, but it's not just the airliners, but also lack of ground crew, baggage handlers, security, with Manchester, Gatwick & Bristol being worst affected, but there seems to be ongoing issues at pretty much every airport to some degree or another.

 

The simple fact is that they all got rid of too many staff at the start of the pandemic, and now they are all struggling to replace those sacked staff.  There were plenty of warnings for long enough of what was going to happen when things opened up again, but they were ignored.

We had a brief taster at Easter of what things were going to be like in the summer and so far it's turned out that way.

 

It isn't just the UK that's having problems, at the week-end at Dublin airport over 1000 people missed their flights due to the long queues, it was reported that officials were telling people who were queing outside the terminal building that they would be as well to go home as they wouldn't have enough time to make their flights.  Amsterdam is another airport having problems, with KLM suspending the sale of tickets for some flights so as to ease the number of flights they are operating.

 

There are going to be many real horror stories of people missing weddings, cruises and for many families the first holiday/flights they've had since before the pandemic.

 

 

Edited May 31, 2022 by Jambo-Jimbo

[Harry Potter]

33 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

Widespread travel chaos again at the airports, hundreds of flights cancelled, even some people already sitting on the plane only for the flight/holiday to get cancelled.  Easyjet, Tui & British Airways seem to be the worst affected, but it's not just the airliners, but also lack of ground crew, baggage handlers, security, with Manchester, Gatwick & Bristol being worst affected, but there seems to be ongoing issues at pretty much every airport to some degree or another.

 

The simple fact is that they all got rid of too many staff at the start of the pandemic, and now they are all struggling to replace those sacked staff.  There were plenty of warnings for long enough of what was going to happen when things opened up again, but they were ignored.

We had a brief taster at Easter of what things were going to be like in the summer and so far it's turned out that way.

 

It isn't just the UK that's having problems, at the week-end at Dublin airport over 1000 people missed their flights due to the long queues, it was reported that officials were telling people who were queing outside the terminal building that they would be as well to go home as they wouldn't have enough time to make their flights.  Amsterdam is another airport having problems, with KLM suspending the sale of tickets for some flights so as to ease the number of flights they are operating.

 

There are going to be many real horror stories of people missing weddings, cruises and for many families the first holiday/flights they've had since before the pandemic.

 

 

Flying is a faff at the best of times, was stuck on the runway in corfu for 2 hours due to some mix up, rather have a caravan down the coast now.

 

[milky_26]

34 minutes ago, Jambo-Jimbo said:

Widespread travel chaos again at the airports, hundreds of flights cancelled, even some people already sitting on the plane only for the flight/holiday to get cancelled.  Easyjet, Tui & British Airways seem to be the worst affected, but it's not just the airliners, but also lack of ground crew, baggage handlers, security, with Manchester, Gatwick & Bristol being worst affected, but there seems to be ongoing issues at pretty much every airport to some degree or another.

 

The simple fact is that they all got rid of too many staff at the start of the pandemic, and now they are all struggling to replace those sacked staff.  There were plenty of warnings for long enough of what was going to happen when things opened up again, but they were ignored.

We had a brief taster at Easter of what things were going to be like in the summer and so far it's turned out that way.

 

It isn't just the UK that's having problems, at the week-end at Dublin airport over 1000 people missed their flights due to the long queues, it was reported that officials were telling people who were queing outside the terminal building that they would be as well to go home as they wouldn't have enough time to make their flights.  Amsterdam is another airport having problems, with KLM suspending the sale of tickets for some flights so as to ease the number of flights they are operating.

 

There are going to be many real horror stories of people missing weddings, cruises and for many families the first holiday/flights they've had since before the pandemic.

 

 

You're spot on about the way you he airports got rid of their staff at the start of COVID. They have known from the end of last year probably longer that they need to bring back/replace those staff before things opened up like they are now, yet it looks like they did nothing to plan for it or action any plans 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

Queues outside of Edinburgh airport this morning, long queues at the bag-drop and 2 scanners not working/no staff at security.

https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/travel/8943537/travel-chaos-giant-queues-passengers-edinburgh-glasgow-outside/

 

Glasgow airport also having problems today.

[William H. Bonney]

Seems really busy for a random Tuesday. doesn’t bode well for my holiday at the end of June. 

[milky_26]

17 minutes ago, William H. Bonney said:

Seems really busy for a random Tuesday. doesn’t bode well for my holiday at the end of June. 

Half term in England started this week

[William H. Bonney]

4 minutes ago, milky_26 said:

Half term in England started this week

 

I'm taking my son out of school 3 days before the term finishes for a family holiday.  Hopefully everything goes smoothly.  

[Pans Jambo]

1 hour ago, milky_26 said:

You're spot on about the way you he airports got rid of their staff at the start of COVID. They have known from the end of last year probably longer that they need to bring back/replace those staff before things opened up like they are now, yet it looks like they did nothing to plan for it or action any plans 

Yip, they cut staff at the drop of a hat. No forward thinking at all. None. My daughter was binned from her job at Edinburgh Airport. The governments furlough scheme was still in full force as well.

 

Arseholes.

 

What is it with these "business leaders" who always go for cutting staff at the drop of a hat? They seem to think that lost experience can be replaced just as easy by simply rehiring. Never works.

 

Hell mend them.

[Malinga the Swinga]

20 minutes ago, Pans Jambo said:

Yip, they cut staff at the drop of a hat. No forward thinking at all. None. My daughter was binned from her job at Edinburgh Airport. The governments furlough scheme was still in full force as well.

 

Arseholes.

 

What is it with these "business leaders" who always go for cutting staff at the drop of a hat? They seem to think that lost experience can be replaced just as easy by simply rehiring. Never works.

 

Hell mend them.

Unfortunately, those at the top of business tend to come with degree in business administration/ management from some uni, have a few years experience in being second in charge and no experience at all of working at ground level.

That's fine when things going well, but as soon as problems occur, they panic because their uni learning hasn't covered 'shit hitting the fan'.

Their only remedy is get rid of staff, then when things rebound, they seem to be surprised that they have staff shortages. Won't be management fault though, it never is.

[Angry Haggis]

37 minutes ago, William H. Bonney said:

 

I'm taking my son out of school 3 days before the term finishes for a family holiday.  Hopefully everything goes smoothly.  

 

Based on current view I would plan for some disruption when travelling through Airports. 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

19 minutes ago, Pans Jambo said:

Yip, they cut staff at the drop of a hat. No forward thinking at all. None. My daughter was binned from her job at Edinburgh Airport. The governments furlough scheme was still in full force as well.

 

Arseholes.

 

What is it with these "business leaders" who always go for cutting staff at the drop of a hat? They seem to think that lost experience can be replaced just as easy by simply rehiring. Never works.

 

Hell mend them.

 

Exactly, wasn't that the whole purpose of the furlough scheme, to encourage companies to retain their staff.

Today is the first day that I've heard that very fact mentioned by a government minister, so maybe they are starting to look at this and ask questions of the airline industry.

 

Your second point, it's always the same whenever there's a slowdown in orders/recession type of thing.

It used to happen regulary in the knitwear industry, times were good you'd take on mostly experienced staff, not so many trainees, then a year or so later when there wasn't so much work they'd get rid of 20 or 30 workers, easy to replace them was the mantra.  Until the time came that it wasn't so easy, as nobody, school leavers or experienced workers didn't want to work in the mills under those conditions anymore and you couldn't replace them.  

[hmfc_liam06]

Between the anxiety of testing negative on Saturday for my flight to Florida and now this...I'm really excited for the weekend

[graygo]

A mate flew from Edinburgh this morning, apparently there was a lot of flights all leaving around the same time which caused chaos at check in.  45 minutes in a queue.

[Sooperstar]

On 23/05/2022 at 05:17, Sooperstar said:

Edinburgh Airport security this morning. The queue goes down the stairs and the full length of the check in hall, all the way to international arrivals then looping back round again.

 

On 23/05/2022 at 05:36, Sooperstar said:

40 minutes for me to get through fast track. Queue now goes outside the terminal building.

It was the same last week. The airport's excuse of blaming it on an airline is bullshit.

[graygo]

2 minutes ago, Sooperstar said:

 

It was the same last week. The airport's excuse of blaming it on an airline is bullshit.

 

It was fine 2 weeks ago, no queue at check in and 5 minutes to clear security. Had to wait a long time for our luggage on our return last week right enough.

[William H. Bonney]

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-airport-issues-advice-how-24096509

 

Has anyone ever paid for this? Is it worth it? 

[graygo]

21 minutes ago, William H. Bonney said:

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-airport-issues-advice-how-24096509

 

Has anyone ever paid for this? Is it worth it? 

 

I've used the one where you park in the multi storey car park then use the internal bridge directly into the security hall, it was great but only works if you only have hand luggage and have checked in online. 

[OBE]

1 minute ago, graygo said:

 

I've used the one where you park in the multi storey car park then use the internal bridge directly into the security hall, it was great but only works if you only have hand luggage and have checked in online. 

 

Can check-in hold luggage and nip back up the stairs and over the fastrack bridge from the multi...

[graygo]

2 minutes ago, OBE said:

 

Can check-in hold luggage and nip back up the stairs and over the fastrack bridge from the multi...

 

You'd be quicker just going up the escalators to the fast track and forgetting about the bridge in that case. It ends up in the same place.

[The Real Maroonblood]

3 hours ago, Harry Potter said:

Flying is a faff at the best of times, was stuck on the runway in corfu for 2 hours due to some mix up, rather have a caravan down the coast now.

 

I agree.

Couldn’t be bothered with all the hassle.

[Footballfirst]

You can check the likely queuing time before you leave for the airport on their website.

 

https://www.edinburghairport.com/flights/live-flight-departures

 

11 minutes at the time of posting.

[Sooperstar]

33 minutes ago, William H. Bonney said:

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-airport-issues-advice-how-24096509

 

Has anyone ever paid for this? Is it worth it? 

I done it last week when I saw the queue. Just done it online there and then. Only 6 quid. Depends how big the queue is and how keen you are to get through quickly.

[OBE]

1 minute ago, graygo said:

 

You'd be quicker just going up the escalators to the fast track and forgetting about the bridge in that case. It ends up in the same place.

 

I've heard on occasion the escalators become static stairs...an indicator the queues are backed up... 

[Sooperstar]

Just now, Footballfirst said:

You can check the likely queuing time before you leave for the airport on their website.

 

https://www.edinburghairport.com/flights/live-flight-departures

 

11 minutes at the time of posting.

Completely inaccurate. Was saying 21 minutes when I joined the queue last week. By the time I got through fast track 40 minutes later the queue was outside the building and the wait time on the website had shortened to 13 minutes.

[Sooperstar]

6 minutes ago, graygo said:

 

You'd be quicker just going up the escalators to the fast track and forgetting about the bridge in that case. It ends up in the same place.

Not when you're having to queue the length of the terminal building just to get to the escalators.

[OBE]

2 minutes ago, Sooperstar said:

Not when you're having to queue the length of the terminal building just to get to the escalators.

 

[Jambo-Jimbo]

Situation is getting so bad, that even aircrew are often having to go through normal security with everybody else, as there sometimes isn't enough to staff their security gate.

 

[graygo]

1 hour ago, Sooperstar said:

Not when you're having to queue the length of the terminal building just to get to the escalators.

 

Of course, not sure how often that's the case though. Rarely would be my guess.

[Dazo]

4 hours ago, William H. Bonney said:

https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-airport-issues-advice-how-24096509

 

Has anyone ever paid for this? Is it worth it? 

Buy it every time we fly, sometimes slightly worth it, sometimes a waste of money as the queue wait times are similar. 
 

2 hours ago, graygo said:

 

Of course, not sure how often that's the case though. Rarely would be my guess.

 

I’d say less than that or I’m extremely lucky. Fly from Edinburgh 5 or 6 times a year and longest I’ve waited getting through security must be about 25 minutes while the wait times checking in or bag drop is completely negligible. I’ve waited longer on a pint once through security 🙄

[graygo]

12 minutes ago, Dazo said:

Buy it every time we fly, sometimes slightly worth it, sometimes a waste of money as the queue wait times are similar. 
 

 

I've bought it before and might again if things don't improve but I haven't for a few years now because there's been no need.

 

12 minutes ago, Dazo said:

 

I’d say less than that or I’m extremely lucky. Fly from Edinburgh 5 or 6 times a year and longest I’ve waited getting through security must be about 25 minutes while the wait times checking in or bag drop is completely negligible. I’ve waited longer on a pint once through security 🙄

 

Agree with that.

[joondalupjambo]

Flew to Paris last Monday on Air France, hand luggage and breezed through security in around 10 minutes.  Down stairs however carnage.  Cheap holiday carriers check in q's mobbed.  If you are going to a place hot and sunny why do folk need so many clothes😀😀

 

Came back last night and a painful, although short time experience in passport control.  Five electronic gates all closed and no segregation of passport holders so whole flight in one q.  Why is there no lane for UK passport holders, is that usual?  Had to stand with Johnny Foreigner and get stuck waiting for them to explain to customs guy why they were staying for a month😀😀

 

Guy says electronic gates nae working, passenger says why not, guy says dinnae ken I am only directing things in this area. Posh bloke says go and find out why they are not working, speak to your manager and get them working.  Aye ok.  Comes back, that is them sorted, two working three still broken, people start to use the two, the two do not work and he directs all the folk to the back of the q again.  I love this country 😀😀

Edited May 31, 2022 by joondalupjambo

[The Real Maroonblood]

3 hours ago, joondalupjambo said:

Flew to Paris last Monday on Air France, hand luggage and breezed through security in around 10 minutes.  Down stairs however carnage.  Cheap holiday carriers check in q's mobbed.  If you are going to a place hot and sunny why do folk need so many clothes😀😀

 

Came back last night and a painful, although short time experience in passport control.  Five electronic gates all closed and no segregation of passport holders so whole flight in one q.  Why is there no lane for UK passport holders, is that usual?  Had to stand with Johnny Foreigner and get stuck waiting for them to explain to customs guy why they were staying for a month😀😀

 

Guy says electronic gates nae working, passenger says why not, guy says dinnae ken I am only directing things in this area. Posh bloke says go and find out why they are not working, speak to your manager and get them working.  Aye ok.  Comes back, that is them sorted, two working three still broken, people start to use the two, the two do not work and he directs all the folk to the back of the q again.  I love this country 😀😀

Sounds comedy gold stuff.

[OBE]

Scum airlines overselling holidays & flights, knowing full well they can't deliver...How in 2022 is this allowed to happen, this is criminal? Joe/Jane Public need his/her balls enhanced. Collectively, why do we put up with this kind of shite, time after time after time? Any leaders out there wanting to make a name for themselves, the ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ have aligned...step forward paaallllleeeezzze...

[Jambo-Jimbo]

1 hour ago, OBE said:

Scum airlines overselling holidays & flights, knowing full well they can't deliver...How in 2022 is this allowed to happen, this is criminal? Joe/Jane Public need his/her balls enhanced. Collectively, why do we put up with this kind of shite, time after time after time? Any leaders out there wanting to make a name for themselves, the ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ have aligned...step forward paaallllleeeezzze...

 

Grant Shapps blaming the airlines doesn't explain why most of the delays and some of the cancellations are outwith the airlines control but due to a lack of ground crew, baggage handlers, security staff and problems at air traffic control, none of which has anything to do with the airlines. 

 

Tbh I'd take whatever Grant Shapps says with a huge pinch of salt, imo he's just trying to shift any and all blame onto the airlines and trying to distance the government from any sort of blame whatsoever.

 

Now it's true that the airports & airlines got rid of way too many staff at the start of the pandemic and that's all coming back to bite them big time now.

 

If I had time which I don't as I'm off to the dentist soon, I could give you a few examples of delays and a cancellation just in the last week or two which had nothing whatsoever to do with the airlines.

[Taffin]

Airport jobs don't pay enough to retain staff in my experience. That was an issue before restrictions, but by and large they managed to make it work.

 

This is the making of the government and their restrictions during Covid imo. Shapps is just shifting the blame.