Flying from LHR to EZE
 

Hi,

I have a flight, BA247, in 2 weeks to EZE via GDR. I was wondering if anybody has experience taking this flights Apparently it’s a touchdown in GDR and there’s no need to exit this flight, is this true? I have never been on such a flight.

Is it also required to satisfy Brazilian entry requirements in this case? Are passport requirements for Brazilian entry required, ie passport validity?

Thanks!

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

But please note that use of 3-letter codes is not a requirement :) Indeed it's best to employ codes only when you are confident in their use, and confident that most people are familiar with them.

GDR is the code for the airport of Angra dos Reis. Angra is a small community in the extreme south of Rio de Janeiro state.

BA's current service to Buenos Aires is normally via Sao Paulo Guarulhos (GRU). It's a longish transit stop, and i think EZE-bound passengers are decanted airside: however you won't be required to enter Brasil, and I doubt that the Brasilian authorities have specific covid requirements for transit passengers. But if they do, or if some calamity requires a stop-over in Sao Paulo, I'm guessing you will be armed with PCR/vaccine certificates for Argentina.

Thank you kindly for the warm welcome and being so helpful, it is extremely appreciated!

Will I be required to satisfy Brazilian immigration requirements? My concern is that I have 5 months validity on my passport which is sufficient for my trip to Argentina, but wouldn’t be sufficient for Brazil immigration.

Given your ticketed itinerary does not require entry to Brasil, I can't see any requirement to satisfy that country's entry rules.

Had you been transferring between separately ticketed flights at GRU, then BA would very likely expect you to carry the documents required to enter Brasil. But you are not: you are what's becoming a rare animal - a passenger in international transit.

Hoewever, with only 5 months left on a passport a lot of the world becomes closed, so maybe it's a good time to renew.

The current protocol with this stop is that passengers have to stay on board and are not allowed to deplane. So no entering Brazil.

Indeed. Which is the way it's always been whenever I've been on a BA flight that's stopped in GRU....and that's going back over 20 years.

Which why I'm about to do the trip with Lufthansa. Two-and-a-half hours slumped on board, or in the airport, is a bit too much to face at THAT time in the morning :)

Used Lufty twice even when BA flew direct to EZE...don't tell the BA forum though! :D Iberia is our favourite choice on the route especially their day flight. Not sure if that's operating again though.

Thanks!! I plan to renew my passport as soon as I return back to the U.K. later next month!

I will have to look more carefully at options next time! I chose BA as it was 21:10 so perfect to finish work a little early to head to Heathrow, though them since changing it to 19:55 has robbed me of half a days annual leave to make it in time!

I do wonder how busy the plane will be - less than 10% of the seats are chosen and the flight is next week!

At least they're back flying the route again even with the GRU stop. Hopefully they'll get back to flying EZE direct soon.

Actually, the current flight with the GRU stop is the definition of a direct, v a nonstop flight.

Our secret ;)

I can see a London-based traveller going for BA's service. But travelling from an airport in the wilderness of the far north, changing planes at FRA is not much worse than doing the same at LHR.

... and with Lufthansa I satisfy my inner geek by flying in a B747!

One thing I am wondering too is that 48 hour antigen tests are sufficient for entry to Argentina now - it was announced a week ago and effective from 29th but the U.K. government website has yet to update. I am flying next week and wonder if it will update before then - I’d much rather do a cheaper and faster antigen test than an expensive PCR!

Okay but you know what I mean. :p

Indeed. I wish GLA had a decent IB MAD service.