NWIFlyer

It's probably pertinent to point out that for those trying to arrange A3/OA flights that currently Greece has a mandatory T-72h negative Covid test requirement, and potentially also a 7 day enforced quarantine if entering from certain countries - of which the UK is one.

Quite when these requirements will be lifted is anyone's guess, particularly with the country's infection rate now rising again after dropping to the lowest level in Europe amongst the reputable countries.

If those are still in place come May then it's a massive barrier to travel - certainly beyond any sort of inconvenience I'd be prepared to go to, and I suspect most others as well.

johnirvine

NWIFlyer, I would be interested to know which countries in Europe you believe to be disreputable - i.e. the ones not included 'amongst the reputable countries'?

NWIFlyer

It’s somewhat off-topic, but by brief way of explanation essentially it’s those where either the quantity of people tested is extremely low, or the criteria for positive tests is somewhat suspect.

Generally speaking, if you’re testing about the right number of people to understand the true infection numbers you should see about 6% positivity rate. Higher than that and you’re not testing enough (i.e. you don’t find all the positive cases). Lower and your testing programme is probably a bit wasteful, or you’re fiddling the figures - although there are exceptions where targeted testing takes place, such as in the UK when the South African variant is discovered in a given area.

Poland would be an example of the numbers tested being too low, thereby understating the true infection level. Turkey would be an example of results not being accurately reported - even those who returned a positive test there did not count in the numbers unless they also showed specific symptoms.

Looking at Greece specifically, its testing numbers were historically a bit lower than the European average, but still sufficient to give a reasonable indication of the true infection level.

In terms of the ability to travel to any country, if the world doesn’t have faith in the testing numbers for whatever reason then they’re likely to end up on the naughty list leading to flight bans and/or quarantine after visiting. From a UK perspective, Turkey will not be trusted for a long while (hence anyone building a four sector itinerary to Turkey via ATH would have a problem on return).

Greece itself shouldn’t fall into the suspicious category, hence trips to the islands via ATH would be fine.

ClanJ

To demonstrate how reactive things are getting, Auckland New Zealand has had a small out break 11 cases source from border quarantine all linked over two weeks. Australia had been running quarantine free arrivals from New Zealand for few months but based on 11 cases all contained and isolated re-instated the two week quarantine requirement. Real risk adverse in this part of the world and looks increasing like there will be no softening of the borders until both populations are vaccinated.

justforfun

So disappointed in Aegean. Why they haven't further extended elite status beyond a paltry 6 months is just mind boggling. I guess the silver lining is that now I will be considering other airlines who may offer a better price or routing where previously I would naturally default to A3.

Tokyoite

all but resigned to losing the A3 gold on May 23rd..oh well.

yauee

yeah gonna be sad

NWIFlyer

Could you expand on this? Your card shows an expiry of May 2022. Have you already re-qualified, or been given an extension?

xichang08

Mine is the same: I re-qualified so initially had an expiration of 24/11/2021 but after the 6 month extension I am now at 24/05/2022.

yauee

Requalified 459 days ago.

johnirvine

My card also expires on 24/5/2022. Probably this is the rule rather than the exception among current A3*G cardholders, although perhaps not among Flyertalk posters.

l380

did you requalify? or A3 renewed it out of courtesy? I didn't meet the requirement and it still shows May/2021

justforfun

Sorry, but what do you mean by this?

GUWonder

And yet some people who flew enough in 2020 to requalify for A3*G less than 365 days ago are still slated to have their A3*G membership downgraded in November 2021. A3's approach to status extensions has led to this kind of divergence where A3*Gs requalifying in 2020 from just 2020 flights find themselves worse off than those who requalified mainly or even exclusively from 2019 flights.

yauee

maybe you are right, actually don't understand what u mean..

quite a number of us have 24/11/2019 - 23/11/2020 for requalification. We requalify on the 29/11/2019, and our exp date 24/11/2021.

Mar 2020 they make a change to help people , now our new exp date 24/5/2022

Have been stuck in a kind of lockdown country with below 30 Covid-19 casualty and most importantly a country with no domestic flight, since Mar 2020 till now.