FlipGFlop

Randox's fast PCR test is a 3 hour turnaround: when we used their test centre at the O2 a couple of weeks ago the results came back in 2 hours 58 minutes; as I work in Canary Wharf I went there the day before our flight to Singapore.

impeymac

Forgive me for going off-piste & asking what maybe a simple question, but this is really bugging me.

Flying LHR-SIN-BKK in December. I'm happy with transit SIN requirements, BKK entry requirements (have Test & Go already set up) & Covid test time constraints. However:

SIN (airlines) requires a PCR test to fly.
BKK requires a RT-PCR test for entry to Thailand..

Are they interchangeable (will one suffice for both requirements)?

Assuming the answer is no, can anyone recommend a test centre at LHR that can administer both tests the day before flying with a quick turn-round for the results?

Your help would be most appreciated.
IM

FlipGFlop

My wife & I used the VTL for a trip from London to Singapore with BA to visit our daughter recently and the process was fairly smooth though not without a few glitches:

1. The VTP application process requires (or did at the end of October) that the names on the NHS Covid pass match the name on the passport exactly. This was a problem for us as we both have a middle name, which is on our passports. The ICA in SG couldn't help and the NHS said that the passes meet the FCDO requirements. Fortunately, our GP surgery changed our first names to include our middle names in our NHS records and within a couple of ours our passes included our middle names and the VTP website was happy.
2. We couldn't get the site to accept the PDF version of our Covid passes so uploaded separate screenshots of the individual passes from the NHS app. This worked.
3. Although we uploaded all the documentation to the BA website, we couldn't check in online.
4. We used Randox's three hour rapid PCR test at the O2 centre the day before the flight so we were had time if there were issues with the tests. You could arrive very early at the airport and do them there but that would be more stressful!
5. The check in at LHR T5 was slow and painful because the staff hadn't been trained about the VTL process. I'd hope we've helped blaze the trail on this but I'd recommend allowing more time than usual. I suspect this is much easier with Singapore airlines.
6. The arrival process at Changi was smooth and efficient; the arrival PCR test is done in the terminal. Our daughter flew out with Singapore Airlines in the summer and they do seem to use a large marquee outside.
7. You can't visit the Jewel but there are shops selling SIM cards open to arrivals.
8. The results of the PCR test took about 4 hours to arrive by email so we were able to leave our hotel room on the evening we arrived.
9. The Trace Together application updated with my vaccination status an hour or so later; my wife had problems activating it and, on advice from the hotel concierge, deleted the app & reinstalled it which worked.
10. The return journey was easier: we couldn't check in online but at the airport all we had to do was show the ticks in the Verifly app.

carrotjuice

Check-in experience, I absolutely agree, is woeful.

I sent a family member off at T5 today and the staff was very poorly trained other than to refer to checks that are stipulated by BA via their iPad. Problem is, the content wasn't up to date! The Singapore government had announced that effective 12 Nov, they'd recognise any pre departure test (ART or PCR) taken 2 days before scheduled departure. This is a welcomed extension of what used to be only 48 hours prior to scheduled departure.

But the iPad content still shows the old rule of 48 hours prior! So the staff refused to allow my family member to check in even after we showed him updated information from the Singapore Ministry of Health's website. First he made up his own rule by claiming that "2 days prior meant 48 hours prior" (incorrect - because MOH's official announcement actually gave an illustrative example that a pre departure test taken say anytime on 1 Nov is valid for departures up to 23:59 on 3 Nov - much like the UK government's website back when pre-departure tests were still required prior to 4 Oct).

Next he claimed that "we can't follow any rules other than what's communicated by BA on the iPad" (again incorrect, BA doesn't make their own rules - the government of the destination country does).

We then waited about 20 mins as he tried to call "BA's COVID team"... eventually getting through to someone via his mobile phone, and only after getting clarification that the pre departure test can now be taken up to 2 days prior was my family member allowed to check in.

I provided feedback to the staff that BA's iPad information, which front line staff are to rely on, really needs to be updated in a timely manner as rules change frequently. He sheepishly admitted that they're not always updated and, when they're not, "make us look like idiots" (his words, not mine).

FlipGFlop

I elided the gory details about our check in experience but it took 50 minutes, the supervisor and multiple phone calls to get the OK to issue our boarding cards. The supervisor knew that the rules had changed but unfortunately they misread the 'or' in the iPad information which said something like 'Citizens, Permanent Residents OR customers using the VTL' as an 'and'. We showed them BA's website, the FCDO website and the SG ICA website all of which said we could fly but until the person on the phone confirmed we weren't going anywhere!

realgaga

The terms PCR and RT-PCR are used interchangeably here in the UK, so one test will be fine.

carrotjuice

At checkin, my family member had handed over a passport AND Singapore NRIC (residency card), yet the staff still went through the checklist and requested to see a Vaccine Travel Pass - to which we said the passenger does not need one as a resident of Singapore (clearly detailed on the SafeTravel website). Not sure if this was an oversight by the staff, or yet again having incomplete information on the iPad.

cdtdevelopments

Hi, we are in the same position as you regarding name on the nhs COVID cert is missing our middle names. We applied last night for the vtp and got it back approved almost instantly.
do you think this means they are not worried about the missing middle name on the qr code?
or should we try to get our nhs app to show our full names?
thanks

FlipGFlop

If they approved it then this may mean they've relaxed the checks on their side in the last couple of weeks: the NHS App team told us that the UK FCDO said that First Last is the agreed 'standard'; maybe the Singporean's have softened their stance as I imagine many UK/EU citizens could will have a similar issue.

What did you say your full name was on the VTP application? Did you include your middle names?

cdtdevelopments

Yes, I put full names on the vtp application this included middle names as on passport. Our Covid cert only showed first and last names. Submitted both and got approved almost instantly.
I guess this means there happy with that.

aduma

Got a flight from SFO - SIN - MLE on a VTL flight with a 3 hour layover. I know that regular transit passengers aren't able to visit the lounge, but if I'm a transit passenger on a VTL flight, will I be able to visit the Silverkris lounge?

Singapore_Air

Assuming your journey is on Singapore Airlines, as both United States and Maldives are "Category 2" countries, you will be able to use the transit facilities freely including the SilverKris Lounge.

JD1905

Could anyone kindly check the passenger load for 14th Jan on BA11. I assume it’s full as no longer on sale.

carrotjuice

Is there still a segregated “fake lounge” facility at Changi for transit passengers? Considering all arrivals and transits to Singapore need to be COVID negative tested (ART or PCR) 2 days prior, why would there still need to be such segregated facility?

darthlemsip

Yep, zeroed out in all classes

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