Dec 19, 2020, 10:20 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: realgaga

Latest guidance

From Heathrow Airport Limited, 22:14 GMT 19 Dec
Following UK Govt. advice, if you are in Tier 4, you should not be travelling unless it is legally permitted. If you’re in Tiers 1-3, you can still fly from Heathrow but should carefully consider whether you need to.

In light of the new tier restrictions, passengers should NOT plan unnecessary time at the airport. Please allow 2 hours ahead of departure for short haul flights and 3 hours for long haul flights.

More information can be found here

List of countries and territories currently restricting travel from the UK, from CWS's post 294, last updated at 18:30 GMT.
- Albania (till January 6th)
- Algeria
- Argentina
- Austria
- Belgium
- Brazil (post 589)
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- China (Mainland)
- Colombia
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Dominican Republic (406)
- Ecuador
- El Salvador (also South Africa)
- Estonia
- France (48 hours for the moment)
- Finland
- Germany
- Gibraltar
- Hong Kong (also South Africa)
- Hungary
- India
- Iran
- Ireland
- Israel (also restricting Denmark and South Africa)
- Italy
- Jamaica (2 weeks, see post 397)
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Malta (339)
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Oman (all countries)
- Pakistan
- Panama (also South Africa, post 409)
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania (from this afternoon, this morning's flight has gone ahead).
- Russia (1 week for now)
- Saudi Arabia
- Seychelles (until end of Jan - ref BA Holidays agent)(461)
- Singapore (from 2359 on Dec 23)
- Slovakia
- Spain (343)
- Sweden (also Denmark) (362)
- Switzerland (also South Africa)
- Tunisia
- Turkey (also Denmark, NL.)

London/SE England in Tier 4 + countries with UK flight ban : impact on BA travel

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Dec 22, 2020, 6:37 am

#436

13901

Join Date: May 2014

Posts: 7,236

edit as already reported

Dec 22, 2020, 6:37 am

#437

Misco60

Join Date: Oct 2015

Location: Vale of Glamorgan

Programs: BAEC Gold

Posts: 2,991

Quote:

Originally Posted by sophialite

EU Commission Recommends Lifting Ban...

...for essential travel. And I don't think the EU's definition of essential will be as loose as the UK's.

rockflyertalk likes this.

Dec 22, 2020, 6:40 am

#438

sophialite

Join Date: Sep 2018

Location: London, Paris

Programs: LH HON, AF Platinum

Posts: 2,001

Quote:

Originally Posted by Misco60

...for essential travel. And I don't think the EU's definition of essential will be as loose as the UK's.

That was actually the status quo prior to all of this, I believe.

Dec 22, 2020, 6:44 am

#439

rockflyertalk

Join Date: Jun 2015

Location: LHR, LGW

Programs: BAEC

Posts: 3,421

Unfortunately I don’t think discouragement of non-essential travel has worked in the past.

We all saw what happened in England after Prof Whitty said “unpack your bags”...thousands of people didn’t and starting travelling in herds, in packed trains etc across the isle. I fear this will only encourage more people to try to take a last minute Christmas trip.

I think this is a poor message the EU commission.

Dec 22, 2020, 6:45 am

#440

DYKWIA

Ambassador: Emirates Airlines

Join Date: Sep 2004

Location: Manchester, UK

Posts: 18,605

Quote:

Originally Posted by sophialite

That was actually the status quo prior to all of this, I believe.

Which was largely ignored (going by what's posted on here).

BlueThroughCrimp, wrp96, rockflyertalk and 1 others like this.

Dec 22, 2020, 6:46 am

#441

sophialite

Join Date: Sep 2018

Location: London, Paris

Programs: LH HON, AF Platinum

Posts: 2,001

Quote:

People are asked to generally refrain from non-essential travel for personal reasons and from visiting people, including relatives.

This was on the prior version of this website prior to the December 22 update: https://uk.diplo.de/uk-en/coronavirus

In any case, will really depend on each country's own regulations. Greece has already moved to re-open borders provided that you have a negative covid test and comply with a few other things.

Dec 22, 2020, 6:56 am

#442

JessicaB

Join Date: Feb 2009

Programs: Executive Club

Posts: 1,115

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesjebell

It won’t be possible for anyone to check in to fly out to PUJ today. They are flying it out empty in order to repatriate people back to the UK.

Reading the directive from the Dominican Aviation Authority they are saying that all aircraft from the UK are banned from entering Dominican airspace except for specific circumstances - cargo flights, Medevac, overflying without landing and emergency landings. I believe repatriation flights would also be banned.

Dec 22, 2020, 7:06 am

#443

NickB

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Feb 2000

Location: London, UK and Southern France

Posts: 18,364

Quote:

Originally Posted by sophialite

That was actually the status quo prior to all of this, I believe.

This is incorrect. The limitation to essential travel was for third countries outside the EU/EEA and assimilated, with the UK belonging to the latter until the end of the transitional period and therefore not subject to the essential travel limitation. From January 1st, the essential travel limitation would have kicked in as a consequence of the end of the transitional period during which the UK is assimilated to an EU Member-State for a number of purposes, including movements into and within the EU.
The kicking-in of the essential travel restriction now rather than in January is a consequence of the measures taken to manage dissemination of new virus strand.

Misco60 and Comatose.Captain like this.

Dec 22, 2020, 7:10 am

#444

sophialite

Join Date: Sep 2018

Location: London, Paris

Programs: LH HON, AF Platinum

Posts: 2,001

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickB

This is incorrect. The limitation to essential travel was for third countries outside the EU/EEA and assimilated, with the UK belonging to the latter until the end of the transitional period and therefore not subject to the "essential travel" limitation. From January 1st, the essential travel limitation would have kicked in as a consequence of the end of the transitional period during which the UK is assimilated to an EU Member-State for a number of purposes, including movements into and within the EU.
THe kicking-in of an essential travel now rather than in January is a consequence of the new virus strand.

I don't particularly care. I'm just trying to do a non-Schengen connection in CDG, which third country nationals were always permitted to do. As long as the flights are flying (and passengers are allowed on board), stuff like this can resume, although this does open up a loophole for British citizens to access a lot of other countries in the world.

Dec 22, 2020, 7:13 am

#445

NickB

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Feb 2000

Location: London, UK and Southern France

Posts: 18,364

Quote:

Originally Posted by sophialite

I don't particularly care.

Maybe so but that does not make what you had written in that previous post any less inaccurate.

jerry a. laska, DYKWIA, DelTroon and 1 others like this.

Dec 22, 2020, 7:16 am

#446

BAFlyer74

Join Date: Jul 2010

Programs: BAEC Gold Guest List

Posts: 193

Quote:

Originally Posted by JessicaB

Hi Jessica - back in March the rules were the same and the D.R. government allowed repatriation flights so that appears to be what is happening this time around also. Today's flight is just taking off as I type :-)

Dec 22, 2020, 7:19 am

#447

sophialite

Join Date: Sep 2018

Location: London, Paris

Programs: LH HON, AF Platinum

Posts: 2,001

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickB

Maybe so but that does not make what you had written in that previous post any less inaccurate.

Fair enough!

jerry a. laska likes this.

Dec 22, 2020, 7:36 am

#448

philiplee

Join Date: May 2005

Posts: 18

Under current restrictions in Spain is it still possible to transit through MAD? Flying LHR - MAD - MEX on Iberia so no change of terminal and hand luggage only so no need to enter the country.

This was all OK when I booked but can’t find any information on how yesterday’s travel ban may impact on this itinerary. Any thoughts / advice much appreciated.

Dec 22, 2020, 8:39 am

#449

ThatT1Feeling

Join Date: Jul 2005

Location: London, ARN, HEL, ..... or MAN

Programs: BA GGL / GFL, Mucci Diamond!, HH Diamond, Radisson Premium, IHG Gold, Hertz Gold

Posts: 5,893

What I am missing in all of this is that so many countries seem to be able to offer test on arrival, or require proof of negative test on departure from country of origin.

Is there any reason why the UK can't do this, other than a question of political will or resourcing?

philiplee likes this.

Last edited by ThatT1Feeling; Dec 22, 2020 at 9:04 am

Dec 22, 2020, 8:42 am

#450

corporate-wage-slave

Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club

Join Date: Feb 2010

Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer

Posts: 63,769

Quote:

Originally Posted by philiplee

Under current restrictions in Spain is it still possible to transit through MAD? Flying LHR - MAD - MEX on Iberia so no change of terminal and hand luggage only so no need to enter the country.

I can't find a full statement from the Spanish government on this. However as far as I can make out, the only people allowed to travel to Spain are Spanish citizen and residents of Spain. I notice the AENA website for Barajas says the same and they would have every incentive to make it clear that transit passengers may use the airport - and they do not do so.

philiplee likes this.