Potentially stranded in LHR for a night
Jul 8, 2021, 12:51 pm
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2008
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Potentially stranded in LHR for a night
I am flying with my wife to Athens in August from DCA. We are fully vaccinated. Instead of coming straight back from Athens, I, like an idiot, booked us on BA from Athens to Heathrow as part of the AA reservation so that we could spend one day in London and come back on August 16. I booked this trip last last year figuring that Covid would not last forever. I also booked a great business fare so I really do not have any option with regard t changing my itinerary. I am very concerned that I am going to have to spend a night sleeping in Heathrow Airport inside passport control. Otherwise, we are going to be quarantined in London. Does anyone have any suggestions or insight on what I can do?
Jul 8, 2021, 12:54 pm
#2
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I am flying with my wife to Athens in August from DCA. We are fully vaccinated. Instead of coming straight back from Athens, I, like an idiot, booked us on BA from Athens to Heathrow as part of the AA reservation so that we could spend one day in London and come back on August 16. I booked this trip last last year figuring that Covid would not last forever. I also booked a great business fare so I really do not have any option with regard t changing my itinerary. I am very concerned that I am going to have to spend a night sleeping in Heathrow Airport inside passport control. Otherwise, we are going to be quarantined in London. Does anyone have any suggestions or insight on what I can do?
Jul 8, 2021, 1:19 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 540
I am flying with my wife to Athens in August from DCA. We are fully vaccinated. Instead of coming straight back from Athens, I, like an idiot, booked us on BA from Athens to Heathrow as part of the AA reservation so that we could spend one day in London and come back on August 16. I booked this trip last last year figuring that Covid would not last forever. I also booked a great business fare so I really do not have any option with regard t changing my itinerary. I am very concerned that I am going to have to spend a night sleeping in Heathrow Airport inside passport control. Otherwise, we are going to be quarantined in London. Does anyone have any suggestions or insight on what I can do?
Jul 8, 2021, 1:38 pm
#4
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I am flying with my wife to Athens in August from DCA. We are fully vaccinated. Instead of coming straight back from Athens, I, like an idiot, booked us on BA from Athens to Heathrow as part of the AA reservation so that we could spend one day in London and come back on August 16. I booked this trip last last year figuring that Covid would not last forever. I also booked a great business fare so I really do not have any option with regard t changing my itinerary. I am very concerned that I am going to have to spend a night sleeping in Heathrow Airport inside passport control. Otherwise, we are going to be quarantined in London. Does anyone have any suggestions or insight on what I can do?
Second you can enter the UK and stay at a Heathrow area hotel and return to the airport the next day for your flight to the US. See the following threads in the coronavirus forum:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/coronavirus-travel/2016518-uk-arrivals-requirements-pre-departure-test-quarantine-post-arrival-tests-618.html
Covid test for entry/re-entry to US [merged thread]
Jul 8, 2021, 1:59 pm
#5
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Thank you so much for the information. I would probably stay at the Hilton in Terminal 4. I arrive at LHR at 11:55 am on August 15 and have my AA flight to Boston at 9:15 am on August 16.
Jul 8, 2021, 2:27 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: PHL
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Posts: 342
I just flew JMK-CLT via LHR and had an overnight layover.
It's no big deal at all - matter of fact - neither BA or UK immigration authorities ever even checked my negative covid test result. Pretty crazy for such an alleged strict lockdown.
I booked a nearby hotel on booking.com. Then took a taxi there and back the next morning.
It's no big deal at all - matter of fact - neither BA or UK immigration authorities ever even checked my negative covid test result. Pretty crazy for such an alleged strict lockdown.
I booked a nearby hotel on booking.com. Then took a taxi there and back the next morning.
Jul 8, 2021, 2:38 pm
#7
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Jul 8, 2021, 3:16 pm
#8
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Until August 16, there would be at least two updates on the green/amber/red lists of the UK so both the USA and Greece might end up in the green list at some point.
Jul 8, 2021, 6:06 pm
#9
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A lot of LHR hotels are either closed or being used as quarentine hotels (so not available for general booking anyway) so check carefully which of your prefereed hotels are open (or not)
Also you won't be 'stranded' as there are exemptions from testing for some transit passengers even if they have to go airside.
Jul 8, 2021, 6:22 pm
#10
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Please don't 'probably' stay anywhere!
A lot of LHR hotels are either closed or being used as quarentine hotels (so not available for general booking anyway) so check carefully which of your prefereed hotels are open (or not)
Also you won't be 'stranded' as there are exemptions from testing for some transit passengers even if they have to go airside.
A lot of LHR hotels are either closed or being used as quarentine hotels (so not available for general booking anyway) so check carefully which of your prefereed hotels are open (or not)
Also you won't be 'stranded' as there are exemptions from testing for some transit passengers even if they have to go airside.
Hilton London Heathrow Airport (at terminal 4) {GBR}
Hilton Garden Inn London Heathrow Terminal 2 { GBR }
Jul 9, 2021, 7:16 am
#12
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To close the loop on this, I contacted the Hilton at Terminal 4 and was advised that it will be no problem staying there as long as we self-isolate in our room. Hopefully, Boris will open London up to US vaccinated persons by the time we get there.
Jul 9, 2021, 8:28 am
#13
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FYI—even if you got a good fare, you can usually change the return leg of a roundtrip flight without paying a fare difference as long as your same fare class is available on the new flights.
Jul 9, 2021, 9:02 am
#14
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I don't see the need to contact any hotel and ask questions. I booked my room on my hilton app. I never spoke or conversed with a hotel employee once. For all they knew I lived down the road and just wanted a night out.
Sep 5, 2021, 8:56 pm
#15
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Let me see if I have this correct.
I've got a potential-unavoidable trip to Africa in December that would require overnight connection in London or Doha. For now let's assume London.
I have to fill out a transit form and be covid tested prior to departure each direction. But on the return I don't have to be retested in England if I keep moving and am on a transit exception?
I can go landside to a hotel, but I can only stay in the general vicinity of Heathrow?
I've got a potential-unavoidable trip to Africa in December that would require overnight connection in London or Doha. For now let's assume London.
I have to fill out a transit form and be covid tested prior to departure each direction. But on the return I don't have to be retested in England if I keep moving and am on a transit exception?
I can go landside to a hotel, but I can only stay in the general vicinity of Heathrow?