The end of pcr tests ?

Butts

Doshwaster said:

Butts said:

Doshwaster said:

Butts said:

Doshwaster said:

frugal90 said:

Doshwaster said:

frugal90 said:

What really confused me is that I have a UK passport. However, if I fly back to Heathrow, then on to a Scottish airport I will have different arrangements. How can that be?

Simply because Public Health is a devolved matter so the government in Edinburgh can have different rules than London. Same as regional governments in other countries have different rules on entry requirements,  restriction on businesses and mask wearing. Tenerife has different rules to mainland Spain.

But I have a UK passport not a Scottish passport, how can it be enforced. Many people will just drive to an English airport.

Would it be worth driving to an English airport just to avoid to cost of a pre-departure test on return?

You may not like it but under devolution Scotland is entitled to impose whatever arrival health requirements at airports it wants regardless of the nationality or residence of the traveller. In principle they could also have checks at the border crossing but this is probably impractical.

No need, just fly via LHR and that will be your point of entry to the UK on your return.

The 2nd leg is domestic and not subject to any immigration controls.

The pre-test will only be enforceable if you are flying directly into Scotland - ie that is where you enter the UK.

By the letter of the Scotland regulations you would still need a pre-departure test if flying via Heathrow or Gatwick as you will have been abroad in the last 3 days. Of course how enforceable that can be is a different matter especially if the two flights are on separate tickets. 

I am travelling to Turkey on October 21st and Flying from Edinburgh to Istanbul via LHR on British Airways.

On the return journey if Scotland still has the pre-departure test requirement just how is it going to work ?

On the PLF form or checking in at the Airport in Istanbul will they require evidence of this test prior to boarding a Flight to London Heathrow ?

If not it's all hot air and empty rhetoric !!

If you are flying on one ticket then it could well be down to the airline's interpretation of the rules. If they see Scotland as your final destination at check-in then they may need a negative result. Flying via Heathrow is no different to going via Amsterdam or Paris.

Really, are the first and last legs not International Flights rather than Domestic ones if you fly to Turkey via Amsterdam or Paris rather than Heathrow from Edinburgh and back in reverse. 

Sandtree

Doshwaster said:
If you are flying on one ticket then it could well be down to the airline's interpretation of the rules. If they see Scotland as your final destination at check-in then they may need a negative result. Flying via Heathrow is no different to going via Amsterdam or Paris.

It would depend on the UK rules not the airlines.

In some countries (eg US, India) you have to enter the country through immigration before then leaving on your connecting flight which is why the US even has a visa type for those not eligible under ESTA but are only changing planes in the USA.

In other countries you never legally enter the country if you are transiting airside to another international destination.  

UK falls into the second category so if you come in from a red country and are flying on to somewhere else outside of the UK and channel isles you dont have to go into a Quarantine Hotel. If you are going to a domestic location though you pass through immigration first so enter the UK and then take an internal flight.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-air-travel-guidance-for-passengers#transiting-through-england

The above however makes it clear... if its a red country you go into quarantine hotel in England, anything else and its down to your final destination. 

Doshwaster

Butts said:

Doshwaster said:

Butts said:

Doshwaster said:

Butts said:

Doshwaster said:

frugal90 said:

Doshwaster said:

frugal90 said:

What really confused me is that I have a UK passport. However, if I fly back to Heathrow, then on to a Scottish airport I will have different arrangements. How can that be?

Simply because Public Health is a devolved matter so the government in Edinburgh can have different rules than London. Same as regional governments in other countries have different rules on entry requirements,  restriction on businesses and mask wearing. Tenerife has different rules to mainland Spain.

But I have a UK passport not a Scottish passport, how can it be enforced. Many people will just drive to an English airport.

Would it be worth driving to an English airport just to avoid to cost of a pre-departure test on return?

You may not like it but under devolution Scotland is entitled to impose whatever arrival health requirements at airports it wants regardless of the nationality or residence of the traveller. In principle they could also have checks at the border crossing but this is probably impractical.

No need, just fly via LHR and that will be your point of entry to the UK on your return.

The 2nd leg is domestic and not subject to any immigration controls.

The pre-test will only be enforceable if you are flying directly into Scotland - ie that is where you enter the UK.

By the letter of the Scotland regulations you would still need a pre-departure test if flying via Heathrow or Gatwick as you will have been abroad in the last 3 days. Of course how enforceable that can be is a different matter especially if the two flights are on separate tickets. 

I am travelling to Turkey on October 21st and Flying from Edinburgh to Istanbul via LHR on British Airways.

On the return journey if Scotland still has the pre-departure test requirement just how is it going to work ?

On the PLF form or checking in at the Airport in Istanbul will they require evidence of this test prior to boarding a Flight to London Heathrow ?

If not it's all hot air and empty rhetoric !!

If you are flying on one ticket then it could well be down to the airline's interpretation of the rules. If they see Scotland as your final destination at check-in then they may need a negative result. Flying via Heathrow is no different to going via Amsterdam or Paris.

Really, are the first and last legs not International Flights rather than Domestic ones if you fly to Turkey via Amsterdam or Paris rather than Heathrow from Edinburgh and back in reverse. 

The last leg is domestic but you will still be originally flying from a country where a test is required for entry to Scotland. 

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-quarantine/pages/testing-for-people-travelling-to-scotland/

When you do not need to take a test

If you're travelling from one of these countries or territories, and have not travelled outside these countries for 10 days or more before leaving for Scotland, you will not need to take a test:

• Ireland
• Northern Ireland
• England
• Wales
• Isle of Man
• Jersey
• Guernsey
• Ascension
• Falkland Islands
• St Helena

Mind you, I flew Heathrow to Edinburgh a few weeks before and there were no questions about where I had been previously so you may be OK but all it takes is a Jobsworth check-in agent in Spain and you won't be getting on your flight without paying for a test. 

michael1234

What happens if you decide to go to England but then once you've arrived change your mind and head up to Scotland?

Butts

michael1234 said:

What happens if you decide to go to England but then once you've arrived change your mind and head up to Scotland?

Nothing as they won't know anything about it after you have cleared immigration at your English point of entry.

Butts

Doshwaster said:

Butts said:

Doshwaster said:

Butts said:

Doshwaster said:

Butts said:

Doshwaster said:

frugal90 said:

Doshwaster said:

frugal90 said:

What really confused me is that I have a UK passport. However, if I fly back to Heathrow, then on to a Scottish airport I will have different arrangements. How can that be?

Simply because Public Health is a devolved matter so the government in Edinburgh can have different rules than London. Same as regional governments in other countries have different rules on entry requirements,  restriction on businesses and mask wearing. Tenerife has different rules to mainland Spain.

But I have a UK passport not a Scottish passport, how can it be enforced. Many people will just drive to an English airport.

Would it be worth driving to an English airport just to avoid to cost of a pre-departure test on return?

You may not like it but under devolution Scotland is entitled to impose whatever arrival health requirements at airports it wants regardless of the nationality or residence of the traveller. In principle they could also have checks at the border crossing but this is probably impractical.

No need, just fly via LHR and that will be your point of entry to the UK on your return.

The 2nd leg is domestic and not subject to any immigration controls.

The pre-test will only be enforceable if you are flying directly into Scotland - ie that is where you enter the UK.

By the letter of the Scotland regulations you would still need a pre-departure test if flying via Heathrow or Gatwick as you will have been abroad in the last 3 days. Of course how enforceable that can be is a different matter especially if the two flights are on separate tickets. 

I am travelling to Turkey on October 21st and Flying from Edinburgh to Istanbul via LHR on British Airways.

On the return journey if Scotland still has the pre-departure test requirement just how is it going to work ?

On the PLF form or checking in at the Airport in Istanbul will they require evidence of this test prior to boarding a Flight to London Heathrow ?

If not it's all hot air and empty rhetoric !!

If you are flying on one ticket then it could well be down to the airline's interpretation of the rules. If they see Scotland as your final destination at check-in then they may need a negative result. Flying via Heathrow is no different to going via Amsterdam or Paris.

Really, are the first and last legs not International Flights rather than Domestic ones if you fly to Turkey via Amsterdam or Paris rather than Heathrow from Edinburgh and back in reverse. 

The last leg is domestic but you will still be originally flying from a country where a test is required for entry to Scotland. 

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-quarantine/pages/testing-for-people-travelling-to-scotland/

When you do not need to take a test

If you're travelling from one of these countries or territories, and have not travelled outside these countries for 10 days or more before leaving for Scotland, you will not need to take a test:

• Ireland
• Northern Ireland
• England
• Wales
• Isle of Man
• Jersey
• Guernsey
• Ascension
• Falkland Islands
• St Helena

Mind you, I flew Heathrow to Edinburgh a few weeks before and there were no questions about where I had been previously so you may be OK but all it takes is a Jobsworth check-in agent in Spain and you won't be getting on your flight without paying for a test. 

It looks like the question will be irrelevant as it seems Scotland is going to fall into line with the English Policy of no Test before Return Travel post October 4th.

Sturgeon  even alluded to the fact it would just drive Scots to use English Airports and be virtually unenforceable.

Dr_Crypto

Some folks on Flyer Talk are suggesting that if you book a £10 Ryanair flight you can use the transit exemption from hotel quarantine. Clearly it is illegal but I don’t think the government have any way of knowing whether you took the Ryanair flight or not. 

michael1234

Dr_Crypto said:

Some folks on Flyer Talk are suggesting that if you book a £10 Ryanair flight you can use the transit exemption from hotel quarantine. Clearly it is illegal but I don’t think the government have any way of knowing whether you took the Ryanair flight or not. 

What if your intention was to take the flight but you changed your mind? Can you book an HM "Hotel" once you're here ?

onashoestring

Dr_Crypto said:

Some folks on Flyer Talk are suggesting that if you book a £10 Ryanair flight you can use the transit exemption from hotel quarantine. Clearly it is illegal but I don’t think the government have any way of knowing whether you took the Ryanair flight or not. 

Not quite as simple as that - Yes ,you can transit through England without booking quarantine- the guidance says you need to show evidence of onward travel and where you will be staying .

Quarantine Checks on arrivals from Red List countries are stringent only permitted at specified airports and at Heathrow are passengers are processed at a dedicated terminal .

If someone booked a cheap flight out of the UK which they do not intend to take with the intention of avoiding Hotel quarantine this would be illegal , breach of quarantine rules and liable to fines of up to £10,000 plus they would still need to stay in Managed Quarantine at an additional cost of £2285.

Butts

onashoestring said:

Dr_Crypto said:

Some folks on Flyer Talk are suggesting that if you book a £10 Ryanair flight you can use the transit exemption from hotel quarantine. Clearly it is illegal but I don’t think the government have any way of knowing whether you took the Ryanair flight or not. 

Not quite as simple as that - Yes ,you can transit through England without booking quarantine- the guidance says you need to show evidence of onward travel and where you will be staying .

Quarantine Checks on arrivals from Red List countries are stringent only permitted at specified airports and at Heathrow are passengers are processed at a dedicated terminal .

If someone booked a cheap flight out of the UK which they do not intend to take with the intention of avoiding Hotel quarantine this would be illegal , breach of quarantine rules and liable to fines of up to £10,000 plus they would still need to stay in Managed Quarantine at an additional cost of £2285.

How many £10000 Fines have been levied and actually paid ?