Covid, USA, tests, Baffled, please help

[djc206]

DJMC said:

@djc206: You said "If it gives you peace of mind it’s the £19.95 option" but thanks for correcting. It is indeed either the £26.95 or £29.95 tests ONLY which are valid for US travel, and for peace of mind.

Klarity just replied to my further email:

"As stated earlier, ALL video appointments are IN REAL TIME and not pre-recorded REGARDLESS even if it is a STANDARD or a PREMIUM test."

STANDARD = £26.95
PREMIUM = £29.95

Please do not misquote me when I’m trying to help you. What I said was “ If it gives you peace of mind it’s the £19.95 option (if you’re supplying your own test)”. I have not corrected anything because I was correct the first time. If you’re purchasing a test from them it’s the £26.95 or £29.95 options, if you’re supplying your own it’s the £19.95 certificate only option, I’ve never suggested otherwise.

I would suggest you’re better off buying some tests from your local pharmacy or scrounging some off anyone who has a few NHS ones left over as they’ll be cheaper and then using the £19.95 certificate option if that’s your preferred service level but that’s entirely up to you.

Edited by djc206 on Wednesday 27th April 11:59

[DJMC]

Petrus1983 said:

DJMC - with respect you should go for the one that gives you the peace of mind you want irrespective of cost. A lot of people (including myself) have said they’ve used the £9.95 test to regularly fly to America with zero problems. All this stress seems unnecessary for the sake of £50 or so.

I understand. But then some people get away with murder. That doesn't mean everyone does.
Some people get away with speeding, not everyone.

As I've discovered the proper info from the US authorities and Klarity I thought I'd post my "horse's mouth" finings so as to correct those who gamble on a lesser than mandated test. It does look like Klarity have changed their options to clarify which can be used for US travel very recently. Certainly since last week when I started asking them questions.

I'm happy to pay the going rate for the correct test. It's a drop in the ocean against the overall cost of the trip.

[DJMC]

djc206 said:

Please do not misquote me when I’m trying to help you. What I said was “ If it gives you peace of mind it’s the £19.95 option (if you’re supplying your own test)”. I have not corrected anything because I was correct the first time. If you’re purchasing a test from them it’s the £26.95 or £29.95 options, if you’re supplying your own it’s the £19.95 certificate only option, I’ve never suggested otherwise.

I would suggest you’re better off buying some tests from your local pharmacy or scrounging some off anyone who has a few NHS ones left over as they’ll be cheaper and then using the £19.95 certificate option if that’s your preferred service level but that’s entirely up to you.

Edited by djc206 on Wednesday 27th April 11:59

You misunderstand. The £19.95 "own test" option is not video'd real time, thus NOT acceptable according to US authorities and Klarity...



The clue is "upload video" above in the £19.95 option.

From Klarity today:

"As stated earlier, ALL video appointments are IN REAL TIME and not pre-recorded REGARDLESS even if it is a STANDARD or a PREMIUM test."

Only Standard and Premium have the blue banner with "For travel to the USA and other countries requiring clinician supervision."

From Klarity today:

"Basic and Basic+ antigen tests are not supervised/witnessed hence it is not accepted to USA entry."

Basic+ is the £19.95 test you referred to. It is NOT for US travel.


Klarity emails, today...

Edited by DJMC on Wednesday 27th April 12:10

[djc206]

DJMC said:

You misunderstand. The £19.95 "own test" option is not video'd real time, thus NOT acceptable according to US authorities and Klarity...



The clue is "upload video" above in the £19.95 option.

From Klarity today:

"As stated earlier, ALL video appointments are IN REAL TIME and not pre-recorded REGARDLESS even if it is a STANDARD or a PREMIUM test."

Only Standard and Premium have the blue banner with "For travel to the USA and other countries requiring clinician supervision."

Jesus wept, how many times do I have to spell out that there are two £19.95 options. There’s this one that I’ve explicitly referred to as the one where you supply your own test and the one you keep linking to that quite clearly states that they send you a test. It’s not difficult there’s two product lines. One where you supply the test and one where they do with a £10 price difference across all of those products.

[DJMC]

djc206 said:

Jesus wept, how many times do I have to spell out that there are two £19.95 options. There’s this one that I’ve explicitly referred to as the one where you supply your own test and the one you keep linking to that quite clearly states that they send you a test. It’s not difficult there’s two product lines. One where you supply the test and one where they do with a £10 price difference across all of those products.

You didn't link to it before now, nor said there's two.
I can't find that test on the Klarity website from scratch.
I'll ask than what happened to it...

[djc206]

DJMC said:

You didn't link to it before now, nor said there's two.
I can't find that test on the Klarity website from scratch.
I'll ask than what happened to it...

I don’t need to link to it I explained it in detail as has everyone else on this thread. On the mobile site you just scroll down, they’ve the certs with tests supplied at the top and the cert only packages further down, it’s not gone anywhere it’s still there

[Alorotom]

DJMC said:

Alorotom said:

There is no “slip through the net” the certificate provided by Klarity is identical irrespective of what option you choose from the basic £9.95 certificate only to the top level option.

US Immigration aren’t involved in any of the process for checking details or test results - it’s all conducted precheckin or at checkin if you have to not use an app/portal.

Once the info is shared with the checkin staff you’ll never be asked for it again while travelling - if it’s done precheckin (ie with VeriFLY) not even the checkin staff will ask for anything other than to check your app approval.

By all means waste money on higher level testing processes but do be clear it is a waste.

Read my post above.

US require real-time video'd tests.
Klarity confirm it's ONLY their Standard (£26.95) and Premium (£29.95) tests for US travel: https://klarity.health/tuk-about-our-tests/
I'm spending £3,000 before I get to the airport. I'd like peace of mind.

To be clear, paying for the correct US test from Klarity cannot be regarded as a waste. Try to cut corners to save ten quid if you wish, but you could lose your holiday.

I have, multiple times and I'm amazed that you genuinely believe that you will receive ANYTHING saying your test was any different to any others that Klarity sell - ALL THE CERTIFICATES KLARITY ISSUE ARE THE SAME IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT TEST YOU PAY FOR - they make the statement that X test is for Y travel to make sure that don't put themselves at risk, that doesn't mean other options aren't permissible, and therefore, YES paying over the odds is a waste.

Well done, you've spent £3k, big deal and totally irrelevant. I personally have now made 6 return trips to the US since December using the certificate only approach with ZERO issues for myself and family members.

And for reference, if I had used the top level price for each of the tests for my party on each trip I would have spent £720, instead I have spent £160 (using their certificate only 3 for 2 offers) ... hardly £10 is it

Edited by Alorotom on Wednesday 27th April 13:49

[Trustmeimadoctor]

is this still going on!

anyway the way there dollar is at the moment your holiday is now costing you way more than your tests ever will

[Alorotom]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

is this still going on!

anyway the way there dollar is at the moment your holiday is now costing you way more than your tests ever will

I saw it tank again late last week - disappointing given how well it was doing Dec/Jan/Feb and had seemed to somewhat stabilise.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

1.25 now ah the days of 2-1 they were fun

[DJMC]

Klarity have further emailed to say their IT have been working on the site today and the £19.95 test now appears at: https://klarity.health/klarity-uk/ under "Travel Certificates".

They confirm there is a cheaper option for USA, if you have your own test, same page £16.95.

They have confirmed these two ARE OK for the USA (real-time appointments with their clinician) adding "... there is no note with a blue banner on the certificates only. Thanks for the hint. I will forward this to our IT."

[GCH]

Petrus1983 said:

DJMC - with respect you should go for the one that gives you the peace of mind you want irrespective of cost. A lot of people (including myself) have said they’ve used the £9.95 test to regularly fly to America with zero problems. All this stress seems unnecessary for the sake of £50 or so.

This.

DJMC said:

Read my post above.

US require real-time video'd tests.
Klarity confirm it's ONLY their Standard (£26.95) and Premium (£29.95) tests for US travel: https://klarity.health/tuk-about-our-tests/
I'm spending £3,000 before I get to the airport. I'd like peace of mind.

To be clear, paying for the correct US test from Klarity cannot be regarded as a waste. Try to cut corners to save ten quid if you wish, but you could lose your holiday.

You do you then! We can't make you do something - but several of us on here have told you on here plenty of times what does work and what doesn't, regardless of the regulations that are in place, and there are hundreds of people doing exactly the same - take a look on flyertalk for example, with people who are flying to the US weekly and using them.
TUI are just going to recite the rules to you, so mailing them is largely pointless... they also told you a load of rubbish before that only klarity supplied tests worked with the service, which is simply not true.

I live in the US. I am well aware of the regulations (as is everyone who has done this method), and what I choose to do, is based on my own risk assessment, and the fact that airlines are are as sick of the whole testing theatrics as customers, and airlines for the most part, don't really care any more.
I *may have* done something similar when travelling to the uk during covid - like booking the cheapest self collect tests for £7.50 simply to get a PLF code for the stupid PLF form when they were required, and then re-using that code multiple times without issue, rather than paying £40/50/60 a time as many were doing. Would that have been against the regulations? Yes. Could you get away with it? Yes. Could you then take a home NHS test in the UK on day 2, 5 & 8 to be careful? Yes. Could you save a load of cash on pointless and expensive tests that way? Yes....all while boris and co were munching cheese & wine in the garden of no.10 and also ignoring regulations.


It isn't 'slipping through the net', as US immigration do not check anything covid related - it is solely down to the airlines before you check in and covid stuff is not checked at any point beyond check in. ....and the klarity certificates are all identical regardless of the type of test. The airlines do not care - they check it is negative, the date of the test, and you are done.
I was frankly getting fed up with booking and paying £35/40 a time at LHR to get tested, and having to wait an hour + before I could go to the check in desk at all. Now it is £9.99, done over breakfast, result emailed in 20mins. Done.


There is no way around getting a test (unless you want to go the route of recovery letters), so if you are going to get scammed, at least get scammed for as little cash as possible. It's getting expensive here now...£50 buys a few more burgers for your kids and i'd rather be doing that than paying more for pointless tests.

/rant

Edited by GCH on Wednesday 27th April 17:06

[djc206]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

1.25 now ah the days of 2-1 they were fun

In some cities it’s getting Scandinavia expensive. We were paying £7-8 for a pint that’s not even an actual pint in Austin at the start of the month once we had paid tip and tax. Going back out next month so hoping we recover some ground before then but if not I’ll just pretend I didn’t see the prices and suck it up. No $2 per gallon gas anymore either. It used to be a reasonably cheap place to holiday.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Yeah when we were there a few weeks ago it was noticeably more expensive than 2 years ago thankfully we bought our money at 1.42 iirc so we were lucky. It was like $2+ for an individual portion of soup from Publix eating out was getting silly with 17%-20% tips in Florida!

[Petrus1983]

djc206 said:

In some cities it’s getting Scandinavia expensive. We were paying £7-8 for a pint that’s not even an actual pint in Austin at the start of the month once we had paid tip and tax. Going back out next month so hoping we recover some ground before then but if not I’ll just pretend I didn’t see the prices and suck it up. No $2 per gallon gas anymore either. It used to be a reasonably cheap place to holiday.

Dallas last month turned the curve of ‘fairly pricey’ to ‘taking the piss’. Luckily found a Tex Mex that wasn’t just good value but an enjoyable place to be across the road from the Warwick where I was staying. Oh - Hooters is good value too!

[Trustmeimadoctor]

I think the best value meal we had was actually cheddars scratch kitchen
Worst was chick fil a cost us like $28 for 2 meals and a Mac and cheese

[djc206]

Petrus1983 said:

Dallas last month turned the curve of ‘fairly pricey’ to ‘taking the piss’. Luckily found a Tex Mex that wasn’t just good value but an enjoyable place to be across the road from the Warwick where I was staying. Oh - Hooters is good value too!

End up doing what we do when we go to Iceland and pub crawling around the happy hours!

Hey ho.

[Alorotom]

djc206 said:

In some cities it’s getting Scandinavia expensive. We were paying £7-8 for a pint that’s not even an actual pint in Austin at the start of the month once we had paid tip and tax. Going back out next month so hoping we recover some ground before then but if not I’ll just pretend I didn’t see the prices and suck it up. No $2 per gallon gas anymore either. It used to be a reasonably cheap place to holiday.

I paid a shade over $6/G to refill the Prius I had last week - was just shy of $50 for what was reading as half a tank which stunned me.

Annoyed as I should have filled it at Costco earlier in the day and totally forgot! (It was ‘only’ $4.09/G there!)

[75Black]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

1.25 now ah the days of 2-1 they were fun

And to think last year it was 1.38-1.40, come September I dont think I'll need to bother exchanging money, be the same by withdrawing it from an ATM!

[matt3001]

It was over $7 a gallon in LA when i was there in March