Covid, USA, tests, Baffled, please help

[W201_190e]

Any word on the USA dropping the requirement for a test pre flying there? We’re booking for Florida in late April, and I’m nervous about all this and getting it wrong.

[Petrus1983]

No - certainly don’t see a change. I flew to Dallas on Friday and it was a breeze (I used Klarity again). At check in all they need is to see your vaccination status, the Covid test result (it’s emailed to you) - and that’s it.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Mask mandate has been extended till April too. Mind you not had one on since leaving the airport

[Saleen836]

You will be ok returning to the UK!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60741158?fbcli...

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Woo no need to get plf on Saturday

[matt3001]

I fly to Dallas on Friday (assuming i get a neg test on Thursday) on BA.

Assume today's mask announcement isnt relevant to USA and I still need to wear this on the plane? I'm flying CW - any insight on how tough the policing of the wearing is? E.g. am i going to be chased putting it back on each time i take a sip of drink?

[paulguitar]

matt3001 said:

I fly to Dallas on Friday (assuming i get a neg test on Thursday) on BA.

Assume today's mask announcement isnt relevant to USA and I still need to wear this on the plane? I'm flying CW - any insight on how tough the policing of the wearing is? E.g. am i going to be chased putting it back on each time i take a sip of drink?

My recent experience (Air Lingus) is that you will be expected to wear a mask boarding and climb out but once the food and drinks appear you can pretty much keep it off. There might be an announcement as a reminder about masks, but the cabin crew on both my long-haul flights were relaxed about it.

[djc206]

matt3001 said:

I fly to Dallas on Friday (assuming i get a neg test on Thursday) on BA.

Assume today's mask announcement isnt relevant to USA and I still need to wear this on the plane? I'm flying CW - any insight on how tough the policing of the wearing is? E.g. am i going to be chased putting it back on each time i take a sip of drink?

You’ll be expected to wear one on the flight to the US but not the return is my understanding although I’m happy to be corrected. There was very little effort at enforcing the mandate on the last flight I was on. Half the crew were wearing them incorrectly so….

[x5tuu]

djc206 said:

matt3001 said:

I fly to Dallas on Friday (assuming i get a neg test on Thursday) on BA.

Assume today's mask announcement isnt relevant to USA and I still need to wear this on the plane? I'm flying CW - any insight on how tough the policing of the wearing is? E.g. am i going to be chased putting it back on each time i take a sip of drink?

You’ll be expected to wear one on the flight to the US but not the return is my understanding although I’m happy to be corrected. There was very little effort at enforcing the mandate on the last flight I was on. Half the crew were wearing them incorrectly so….

On my 6 flights to/from the USA in recent weeks the mask enforcing in Economy has been quite lax. Lots of announcements and reminders ago boarding and pre-takeoff. Then once in the air it seemed more relaxed and I don't recall anyone (other than a guy waiting for the toilet to become free) to put their mask on.

This was a combination of Jet Blue / AA / BA flights

[Trustmeimadoctor]

On my ba one everyone wore masks and they handed them out but while eating v relaxed

[Truckosaurus]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

On my ba one everyone wore masks and they handed them out but while eating v relaxed

Yep, did a London => Dallas flight with BA and there was 100% mask wearing in economy outside of the dinner session - in fact the head steward had a word with some chap who was taking his time drinking his can of fizzy pop (I assume he was suggesting the chap should be replacing the mask in the lengthy gaps between sips).

Still, good news on dropping the rules for returning, it was a right faff filling out the PLF on a phone when on holiday - there should have always been a way to fill it out before the trip if you were a British resident returning to your own home when there's no quarantine requirements.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Yeah would have been good if that was an option. Verifly hadn't been updated when I looked though.

[GCH]

So glad the stupid PLF forms are being binned now...had to do another last week and then my printer ran out of ink...last minute dash before the UPS store closed to get the stuff printed in time for my early morning flight. I did manage to 'recycle' a previous PLF locator code from a previous cheapy day 2&8 self-test booked last year and it was accepted....not that anyone whatsoever checked or followed up this time aside from a few automated texts insisting on a day 2 PCR. Good thing too, as I put my address as 10 Downing Street.

Petrus1983 said:

No - certainly don’t see a change. I flew to Dallas on Friday and it was a breeze (I used Klarity again). At check in all they need is to see your vaccination status, the Covid test result (it’s emailed to you) - and that’s it.

Going to give klarity a whirl when heading home in a few weeks as it's cheaper and even less hassle than the cheapest LHR expresstest option I have used previously. Did you use the 9.99 cheapest klarity one, or the slightly more expensive (send a video/ video call observed) one?
Also the bonus of no vaccination status checks for me as a permanent resident so thats one less thing to deal with.

Edited by GCH on Tuesday 15th March 14:13

[Petrus1983]

GCH said:

Going to give klarity a whirl when heading home in a few weeks as it's cheaper and even less hassle than the cheapest LHR expresstest option I have used previously. Did you use the 9.99 cheapest klarity one, or the slightly more expensive (send a video/ video call observed) one?
Also the bonus of no vaccination status checks for me as a permanent resident so thats one less thing to deal with.

Edited by GCH on Tuesday 15th March 14:13

I couldn’t see the £9.99 one this time and opted for the £16 where they send you a LFT - but that was fine as I didn’t have any anyway.

As for masks - my LHR - DFW flight last week was fairly lax, but maybe that’s because I usually had a glass of wine infront of me.

[GCH]

Petrus1983 said:

I couldn’t see the £9.99 one this time and opted for the £16 where they send you a LFT - but that was fine as I didn’t have any anyway.

Cool....so unobserved works fine. I just checked and the 9.99 option is still there, and i have a cupboard full of NHS and US tests still.
Glad to see non rip-off options still exist.

[ro250]

Really useful thread. We're not going to Florida until August but the whole pre-flight Covid test still terrifies me if one of us fails. I won't relax until I'm on that plane.

[matt3001]

Cool - will report back on how lax it is on Friday - assuming of course i pass the LFT test on Thurs.

I went with DocHQ - video test at home - don't quite know how that will work yet either? They just watch you why you unwrap, do the test and then you flash them the result on the plasticy thing?

[Petrus1983]

ro250 said:

Really useful thread. We're not going to Florida until August but the whole pre-flight Covid test still terrifies me if one of us fails. I won't relax until I'm on that plane.

The nice thing with the Klarity option is that you can do it the day before the flight - so you know you’re good to go vs the expensive ‘at airport’ option that could come back positive having made it all the way there.

Ah - missed the £9.99 option this time, but still happy.

Re the plf it’s really good news it’s stopping as it was a real nuisance. It ends at 4am Friday - I land at 7.30am but doubt the airline will let me board without it annoyingly.

[Hol]

I’m recently back from Florida and the mask wearing on the plane there/back and also on one internal US flight was fairly relaxed.

[paulguitar]

matt3001 said:

Cool - will report back on how lax it is on Friday - assuming of course i pass the LFT test on Thurs.

I went with DocHQ - video test at home - don't quite know how that will work yet either? They just watch you why you unwrap, do the test and then you flash them the result on the plasticy thing?

I recently did a supervised test. They watch you do it via Zoom and then you take a photo of the completed test after half an hour or so. A bit later you get emailed the result.