Summer Holidays 2021

[Shnozz]

Well a mate of mine due to head to Malta in exactly 14 days has just hot footed it to her local jabbing centre and managed to get jab 2 so has all her fingers and toes crossed.

[Jarcy]

Phil. said:

Looks like the Balearics will do best out of the latest change. No test to enter and now on the green list.

I spent half of yesterday evening researching Menorca to sneak a week at the end of the school holidays, but as my wife's a teacher we can't quarantine once term is about to start. Being on the amber watch list is still a risk to travel. We need the double jab exemption - what is Shapps waiting for?

We recently flipped our Dominican Republic holiday (early summer hols), and now it's gone Red as of yesterday.
Of the apparently safer Caribbean destinations to change to: incl, Barbados, Grenada, Dominica, Antigua, we picked St. Lucia - the only one which is still Amber. Aaargh! (We're going anyway)

The frustration is the lack of detailed and scientific information to trust the government to follow, and help you plan.
I thought it a good shot to look at the FCO government advice to check which countries are advising against non essential travel.
For example St. Lucia, as well as the others above were all free from any negative advice, yet Caymen Islands were advised against travel, but yesterday also moved onto the green list.

And what about the Greek Islands...

[JeffreyD]

Surely if you absolutely can't run the risk of quarantine you can't book anywhere with confidence?

And that's before you look at the fact that the government of where you are going to can change their minds as well.

[Phil.]

Jarcy said:

Phil. said:

Looks like the Balearics will do best out of the latest change. No test to enter and now on the green list.

I spent half of yesterday evening researching Menorca to sneak a week at the end of the school holidays, but as my wife's a teacher we can't quarantine once term is about to start. Being on the amber watch list is still a risk to travel. We need the double jab exemption - what is Shapps waiting for?

We recently flipped our Dominican Republic holiday (early summer hols), and now it's gone Red as of yesterday.
Of the apparently safer Caribbean destinations to change to: incl, Barbados, Grenada, Dominica, Antigua, we picked St. Lucia - the only one which is still Amber. Aaargh! (We're going anyway)

The frustration is the lack of detailed and scientific information to trust the government to follow, and help you plan.
I thought it a good shot to look at the FCO government advice to check which countries are advising against non essential travel.
For example St. Lucia, as well as the others above were all free from any negative advice, yet Caymen Islands were advised against travel, but yesterday also moved onto the green list.

And what about the Greek Islands...

I feel for you and many other like you. I’m afraid, as suspected, they’re messing us about again this year as they did last summer. As many have said, it’s not based on data, its politics, whatever that means nowadays. It won’t bother the elite though who will find ways around it by travelling for business or otherwise. Only the masses suffer.

[404 Page not found]

We were very tempted to book at a place we've been to before in Menorca...but it's just too risky. In three weeks they might change their minds again, and we'd have to quarantine. Plus there's the whole having to wear face masks nonsense...nope. We'll wait till next year I think.

[Boringvolvodriver]

Pretty clear to me that they don’t want us to go away this year - Shapps Implied it today, IMO.

We had booked Fuerteventura for next week but when it didn’t go green last time, moved it to September in the hope that things may be better then. I suspect that may be a vain hope but 10 days quarantine in October is slightly more tolerable ( darker nights for one thing!)

[Abc321]

Shnozz said:

Well a mate of mine due to head to Malta in exactly 14 days has just hot footed it to her local jabbing centre and managed to get jab 2 so has all her fingers and toes crossed.

Did they just turn up and say can you squeeze me in?

[Shnozz]

Abc321 said:

Shnozz said:

Well a mate of mine due to head to Malta in exactly 14 days has just hot footed it to her local jabbing centre and managed to get jab 2 so has all her fingers and toes crossed.

Did they just turn up and say can you squeeze me in?

Exactly that.

[mattyn1]

So have been working through the pros/cons of my holiday to Turkey! Would appreciate if someone would sanity check this please for four of us (inc 2 x u18) flying with BA…..

- Currently Turkey is Red so flights home prohibited.
- Need Turkey to be moved to amber at least…. Let’s pretend it does…...
- entry currently to Turkey requires negative PCR test….. £60 ea.
- if amber regs don’t change we all need negative PCR test to travel home at £100 ea.
- if Turkey was to remain amber we would need to quarantine at home abs test day 2 and day 8……. £120 ea.

So approx £1200 total. I still need Turkey to move from Red to amber. If it went green then only the pre travel test needed. Danger of going back to Red while we are on holiday and the gov facility quarantine costs that brings.

Decision point in two weeks or so at the next gov announcement…… but do I have the requirements correct?

Costs based on this:

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/i...

Edited by mattyn1 on Saturday 26th June 09:47

[The Leaper]

mattyn1 said:

So have been working through the pros/cons of my holiday to Turkey! Would appreciate if someone would sanity check this please for four of us (inc 2 x u18) flying with BA…..

- Currently Turkey is Red so flights home prohibited.
- Need Turkey to be moved to amber at least…. Let’s pretend it does…...
- entry currently to Turkey requires negative PCR test….. £60 ea.
- if amber regs don’t change we all need negative PCR test to travel home at £100 ea.
- if Turkey was to remain amber we would need to quarantine at home abs test day 2 and day 8……. £120 ea.

So approx £1200 total. I still need Turkey to move from Red to amber. If it went green then only the pre travel test needed. Danger of going back to Red while we are on holiday and the gov facility quarantine costs that brings.

Decision point in two weeks or so at the next gov announcement…… but do I have the requirements correct?

From my interpretation of the info available via the NHS Covid app, you are correct if Turkey is amber. You will also all need to complete and submit a PLF online within 48 hours before arrival back in the UK.

Personally, I think it highly unlikely that Turkey will go amber for the foreseeable future.

R.

[craig1912]

mattyn1 said:

So have been working through the pros/cons of my holiday to Turkey! Would appreciate if someone would sanity check this please for four of us (inc 2 x u18) flying with BA…..

- Currently Turkey is Red so flights home prohibited.
- Need Turkey to be moved to amber at least…. Let’s pretend it does…...
- entry currently to Turkey requires negative PCR test….. £60 ea.
- if amber regs don’t change we all need negative PCR test to travel home at £100 ea.
- if Turkey was to remain amber we would need to quarantine at home abs test day 2 and day 8……. £120 ea.

So approx £1200 total. I still need Turkey to move from Red to amber. If it went green then only the pre travel test needed. Danger of going back to Red while we are on holiday and the gov facility quarantine costs that brings.

Decision point in two weeks or so at the next gov announcement…… but do I have the requirements correct?

Costs based on this:

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/i...

Edited by mattyn1 on Saturday 26th June 09:47

It doesn’t have to be a PCR test on way home. A lateral flow test is fine.

[Chris Stott]

craig1912 said:

mattyn1 said:

So have been working through the pros/cons of my holiday to Turkey! Would appreciate if someone would sanity check this please for four of us (inc 2 x u18) flying with BA…..

- Currently Turkey is Red so flights home prohibited.
- Need Turkey to be moved to amber at least…. Let’s pretend it does…...
- entry currently to Turkey requires negative PCR test….. £60 ea.
- if amber regs don’t change we all need negative PCR test to travel home at £100 ea.
- if Turkey was to remain amber we would need to quarantine at home abs test day 2 and day 8……. £120 ea.

So approx £1200 total. I still need Turkey to move from Red to amber. If it went green then only the pre travel test needed. Danger of going back to Red while we are on holiday and the gov facility quarantine costs that brings.

Decision point in two weeks or so at the next gov announcement…… but do I have the requirements correct?

Costs based on this:

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/i...

Edited by mattyn1 on Saturday 26th June 09:47

It doesn’t have to be a PCR test on way home. A lateral flow test is fine.

Lat flow is fine for the entry test. Plus you can get the day 2 & 8 tests for a beer £100.

[tgr]

Just to check my understanding: I can holiday in France having been fully vaccinated without quarantining on arrival? I understand I need to quarantine on return, that’s a separate issue.

For instance I cannot go to Italy without quarantine on arrival even if fully vaccinated

[worsy]

Chris Stott said:

craig1912 said:

mattyn1 said:

So have been working through the pros/cons of my holiday to Turkey! Would appreciate if someone would sanity check this please for four of us (inc 2 x u18) flying with BA…..

- Currently Turkey is Red so flights home prohibited.
- Need Turkey to be moved to amber at least…. Let’s pretend it does…...
- entry currently to Turkey requires negative PCR test….. £60 ea.
- if amber regs don’t change we all need negative PCR test to travel home at £100 ea.
- if Turkey was to remain amber we would need to quarantine at home abs test day 2 and day 8……. £120 ea.

So approx £1200 total. I still need Turkey to move from Red to amber. If it went green then only the pre travel test needed. Danger of going back to Red while we are on holiday and the gov facility quarantine costs that brings.

Decision point in two weeks or so at the next gov announcement…… but do I have the requirements correct?

Costs based on this:

https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/i...

Edited by mattyn1 on Saturday 26th June 09:47

It doesn’t have to be a PCR test on way home. A lateral flow test is fine.

Lat flow is fine for the entry test. Plus you can get the day 2 & 8 tests for a beer £100.

And assumes you are negative on the test. Otherwise it is a further 10 days in Turkey or until you test neg.

[Shnozz]

Looks like Spain/Balearics are to introduce requirement for either negative PCR test or proof of double vaccination.

https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20210628/7561503...

[Phil.]

Quite a few changes over the weekend.

Spain and the Balearics require a PCR test or fully vaccinated for entry for Brits from the 28th. Partly prompted I expect by a bunch of Spanish school children who visited Mallorca with Covid upsetting the locals.

Portugal now require all Brits to quarantine for 14 days unless fully vaccinated. Plus you still need a negative test to board a plane to Portugal but now it can be a PCR or LFT.

Merkel trying to ban all UK tourists from entering the Schengen area. Let’s hope Spain, Greece etc. ignore this silliness.

Edited by Phil. on Monday 28th June 10:29

[Phil.]

Shnozz said:

Looks like Spain/Balearics are to introduce requirement for either negative PCR test or proof of double vaccination.

https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20210628/7561503...

https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-06-28/spanish-pm-announces-travelers-from-uk-will-have-to-show-pcr-test-or-be-fully-vaccinated.html

[soxboy]

Shnozz said:

Looks like Spain/Balearics are to introduce requirement for either negative PCR test or proof of double vaccination.

https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20210628/7561503...

Double jabbed so fine with me

[Ashfordian]

Phil. said:

Shnozz said:

Looks like Spain/Balearics are to introduce requirement for either negative PCR test or proof of double vaccination.

https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20210628/7561503...

https://english.elpais.com/society/2021-06-28/spanish-pm-announces-travelers-from-uk-will-have-to-show-pcr-test-or-be-fully-vaccinated.html

Maybe it was only the Canaries but your hotel accomodation required a negative PCR test anyway so this makes no difference to there as a destination, just that the negative test is needed for the airport as well as hotel accomodation now

[Chris Type R]

soxboy said:

Shnozz said:

Looks like Spain/Balearics are to introduce requirement for either negative PCR test or proof of double vaccination.

https://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20210628/7561503...

Double jabbed so fine with me

Does anyone know what the [current] rule would be for children ? A negative PCR or would they be exempt ?

(specifically Canary Islands)

EDIT: At this point in time it appears that Jet2 are not flying to Amber/Red destinations. https://www.jet2.com/flights/safe-travel/travel-re...

Edited by Chris Type R on Monday 28th June 10:41