The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
HAVE AN EASY LANDING
When it comes to landing at your destination, protocols on arrival vary according to where you are going. For example, Greek airports do random Covid-19 tests on some arriving passengers, whereas the Spanish simply check your passenger locator form and vaccination status; the French also require evidence that you have travel insurance. You may have your temperature checked on arrival, too. Theoretically, you could be turned back if your documents are not in order, or – if you test positive – you could be made to go into quarantine. Both are unlikely, and you can reduce the risk of the latter by taking a quick lateral flow test just before you depart to check that you are still negative. The other main difference on arrival is that – because of Brexit – your passport will now be stamped.
Despite warnings by the Transport Secretary earlier this summer of long queues at airports, most travellers have found arrival at UK airports trouble free. You have to fill out an online passenger locator form 48 hours before arrival (gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk) but when you get to immigration you can avoid the hassle of having your documentation checked by using the electronic passport gates (as long as you are not travelling with children under 12). Unfortunately, the one anxiety you can’t avoid is whether you might fail your pre-departure Covid test. This is very unlikely, especially if you are reasonably careful and are double-jabbed. But it’s not out of the question, and it’s as well to be prepared for the possibility.
If you do, you will have to delay your return to the UK, and also have to inform the local authorities who will then tell you how you must self-isolate.
The requirements for self-isolation in different regions vary. Take Spain. If you test positive there, you must self-isolate in your accommodation and call a helpline for advice (numbers and full details at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/spain/ coronavirus). According to the Foreign Office: “They may tell you to remain in your existing accommodation, or be required to transfer into a state hospital or other government-provided accommodation [or a quarantine hotel]. You may be required to fund accommodation while you wait to be transferred.” The cost of such arrangements vary hugely – so it’s a key point to consider when choosing a travel insurance policy (see point 4).
One way of avoiding the testing uncertainty altogether is to book a short break of only a couple of nights. Then if you take a test just before you leave the UK, it will count as a pre-departure test for your return to the UK. This is what official Government advice says: “If you are returning to the UK within three days, you can use the result of a Covid-19 test that you take in the UK before you travel. You must use a private test provider for the test and not an NHS test.”
The other potential anxiety is what happens if the traffic light status of your destination changes after you have arrived. Will you be forced to self-isolate on your return, or even have to fork out for a stay? If you stick to one of the major holiday destinations, I think the risk of a shift to red at short notice is very unlikely. It would be extremely unpopular politically and it’s not clear that there would be sufficient capacity in the quarantine hotels.
Nevertheless, you would be wise to keep up with the news and keep an eye on the Foreign Office advice pages, so you are able to react quickly if something does blow up. Those who are not fullyvaccinated also need to be aware that a country shifting from green to amber is much more likely, and this would require self-isolation on your return.