Covid, USA, tests, Baffled, please help

[Saleen836]

From Virgin's instagram page....
[b]virginatlantic With the legal requirement to wear a face mask now removed in England, we believe our customers should have the personal choice whether to wear a mask onboard
This policy will be introduced gradually, beginning with our Caribbean services to and from Heathrow and Manchester, We encourage everyone to be respectful of fellow passengers’ mask preferences, with masks still available for those wishing to wear them.

We continue to adhere to all regulatory requirements both in the UK and in destination countries, recognising that mask requirements differ. Masks will still be required on many of our routes, including flights operating to or from the United States until 18 April at the earliest.[/b]

[Trustmeimadoctor]

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.

If your doing Disney the COVID test is the least of your issues!

[ro250]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

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.

If your doing Disney the COVID test is the least of your issues!

We'll being doing Universal - hopefully not an issue??!

[Trustmeimadoctor]

No just the Disney changes are hell waiting for ice cream for 40 minutes

Panic over I've got it now that was 40 ish minutes even with preordering it!

Edited by Trustmeimadoctor on Tuesday 15th March 18:01

[ro250]

Hopefully Universal will be better but I somehow doubt it!

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Friends are going next month can let you know.

[baxb]

We're off to NYC with Virgin in 3 weeks, has anyone used the £9.99 Klarity certificate & had a problem with checking in for travel to the US because it isn't supervised? Is it the case that the airline checks your test cert at check in & if its accepted you are good, i.e. you're not going to run into an issue at US Customs if the airline has let you travel?

[GCH]

baxb said:

We're off to NYC with Virgin in 3 weeks, has anyone used the £9.99 Klarity certificate & had a problem with checking in for travel to the US because it isn't supervised? Is it the case that the airline checks your test cert at check in & if its accepted you are good, i.e. you're not going to run into an issue at US Customs if the airline has let you travel?

Petrus has several times with no issues - I asked him about it yesterday - I'm sure he will post shortly. I will also be using it to head home (also on virgin) shortly instead of the more expensive expresstest on site at LHR thats I've used previously so will report back.
As for the rest, the check of your test results (and vaccine check if applicable) is done at check in - they want to see the email and that's it. No further checks beyond that, including at immigration in the US.

[baxb]

GCH said:

baxb said:

We're off to NYC with Virgin in 3 weeks, has anyone used the £9.99 Klarity certificate & had a problem with checking in for travel to the US because it isn't supervised? Is it the case that the airline checks your test cert at check in & if its accepted you are good, i.e. you're not going to run into an issue at US Customs if the airline has let you travel?

Petrus has several times with no issues - I asked him about it yesterday - I'm sure he will post shortly. I will also be using it to head home (also on virgin) shortly instead of the more expensive expresstest on site at LHR thats I've used previously so will report back.
As for the rest, the check of your test results (and vaccine check if applicable) is done at check in - they want to see the email and that's it. No further checks beyond that, including at immigration in the US.

Thanks, i've seen people report they've not had an issue, just wondered if anyone had fallen foul of the supervised requirement being missed. Interested to see how you get on & safe flight home

[Petrus1983]

Yes - as mentioned I’ve used Klarity numerous times for BA and AA with no issues.

The only time I did have an issue was where I used the on-site testing and they issued the wrong result (still negative but not the test I’d paid for) and I missed the flight whilst trying to get the issue sorted (along with another family who’d used the same testing centre).

Eta - I’ve found this site very good for navigating the rules -

https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions?a...

Edited by Petrus1983 on Wednesday 16th March 14:26

[Petrus1983]

This is the test certificate you get -

[baxb]

Petrus1983 said:

This is the test certificate you get -

Very helpful, thanks Petrus

[Petrus1983]

baxb said:

Very helpful, thanks Petrus

No worries. Just seen another aspect of your question - US customs don’t check the certificate nor vaccination status, that’s down to the airline.

[baxb]

Petrus1983 said:

No worries. Just seen another aspect of your question - US customs don’t check the certificate nor vaccination status, that’s down to the airline.

I guessed that was the case, but good to have it confirmed, thanks again.

[cashmax]

Petrus1983 said:

This is the test certificate you get -

Would Fahed must be busy, he has done every single one of my tests too -)

Also confirm we just travelled to MIA with BA using the 9.99 cert with zero issues.

[cashmax]

Also worth mentioning that I don't know what's happened to US customs, but they appear to have got their act together for the first time I can recall. Zero queue and no messing about, no landing card anymore and finally stopped stamping passports, which is very handy.

[satans worm]

Hi

Not wanting to hijack too much, but im returning to the US at the weekend and am unfamiliar now with UK and covid testing stations

Are there any recommendations on where to get a antigen test from?

Do Boots or someone do them?

I will be in Milton Keynes the day before so that where id like to get it, with a 24 hour turn around for flying the next day

Any help would be appreciated

FYI i live in New York and at home visiting parents hence im not unto date on how the UK testing works here , in NYC for example you get free 24hour tests at certain places on the side walk around the city so its easy, clueless on how to best go about it here in the UK!

[cashmax]

satans worm said:

Hi

Not wanting to hijack too much, but im returning to the US at the weekend and am unfamiliar now with UK and covid testing stations

Are there any recommendations on where to get a antigen test from?

Do Boots or someone do them?

I will be in Milton Keynes the day before so that where id like to get it, with a 24 hour turn around for flying the next day

Any help would be appreciated

FYI i live in New York and at home visiting parents hence im not unto date on how the UK testing works here , in NYC for example you get free 24hour tests at certain places on the side walk around the city so its easy, clueless on how to best go about it here in the UK!

Just go and buy any antigen test from boots and use the Klarity app get the code you need for the airline. Test £5, Klarity 9.95.

[Steve Benson]

ro250 said:

Hopefully Universal will be better but I somehow doubt it!

I was in Universal IOA in the middle of February. No covid restrictions at all, no masks, no distancing, nothing anywhere.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

With Disney there isn't any restrictions either it's just hell. Been multiple times over last few years and this time it was noticably worse. Genie plus is a joke as is lightning lane plus as is booking the parks as are staffing levels as is ride reliability then there is the new costs. We have decided not to return.