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Best way to travel from London to China

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Old Jul 18, 2022, 12:16 pm
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Last edit by: moondog
1. The information in this thread is time sensitive
2. Nearly all flights to China cost $4,000 or more
3. The best current option is discussed in the thread
4. The second best is now Korea (if you fly AA, AF, DL, or UA, you are going there anyway)
5. The third best option entails taking a new flight that we are keeping on the down low (just like point 3, but this one will last longer than point 3)
6. The fourth best option is Taiwan; you have cheap flights on both ends, BUT you'll be staying there for a week, AND need to be able to enter Taiwan
7. Finally, we have Hong Kong. You can get there pretty easily but plan on spending about $3,000 (and a week)

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Best way to travel from London to China

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Old Jul 16, 2022, 9:51 am
  #76  
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Originally Posted by Danielinvesting
thanks, another complication is that the 2 testing facilities need to be different ones, which test result to input for the health code the one obtained 48h or 24h before the flight?
This seems pretty broad to me:
2. Testing institutions

The Embassy will accept PCR results issued by testing institutions accredited by the local health departments in the UAE.
BUT, you should communicate with them in order to get details. Also, inquire about the need for a test in the UK before you leave. My understanding is that this is no longer required. However, I don't know for certain. In any case, that airplane ticket is cheap enough for you to justify snagging it up now while you ask questions. Excellent find GinFizz
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 10:12 am
  #77  
 
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This is so painful. How are things ever going to get back to normal if this continues?
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 11:44 am
  #78  
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Danielinvesting I want to reiterate my advice that you grab the EY ticket GinFizz showed us immediately...assuming you want to go to China soon. But, I would also feel comfortable locking that one in for September, October, November, or December. I'm 90% certain it is a mistake fare (e.g. maybe they priced it the same as LHR-AUH-NRT in haste). If this is the case, it will be back to $10,000 tomorrow (Chinese nationals move FAST), but if you buy at the lower rate first, you are golden. Again, GinFizz stumbled upon a complete anomaly, and it won't last for long. Book it, and then we'll help you with the testing stuff.
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Last edited by moondog; Jul 16, 2022 at 11:53 am
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 5:04 pm
  #79  
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Do you need a vaccination to enter Abu Dhabi? Also do I need to quarantine there?

Originally Posted by moondog
This seems pretty broad to me:

BUT, you should communicate with them in order to get details. Also, inquire about the need for a test in the UK before you leave. My understanding is that this is no longer required. However, I don't know for certain. In any case, that airplane ticket is cheap enough for you to justify snagging it up now while you ask questions. Excellent find GinFizz
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 5:05 pm
  #80  
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seems is more than 1500$ will check for September /October, will they rembourse the money if flight got cancelled?

Originally Posted by moondog
Danielinvesting I want to reiterate my advice that you grab the EY ticket GinFizz showed us immediately...assuming you want to go to China soon. But, I would also feel comfortable locking that one in for September, October, November, or December. I'm 90% certain it is a mistake fare (e.g. maybe they priced it the same as LHR-AUH-NRT in haste). If this is the case, it will be back to $10,000 tomorrow (Chinese nationals move FAST), but if you buy at the lower rate first, you are golden. Again, GinFizz stumbled upon a complete anomaly, and it won't last for long. Book it, and then we'll help you with the testing stuff.
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 5:32 pm
  #81  
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Originally Posted by Danielinvesting
seems is more than 1500$ will check for September /October, will they rembourse the money if flight got cancelled?
Probably, but seriously just grab this one while the window is open (read the TOCs of course). We have seen absolutely nothing like it during the course of our research. I am almost inclined to call it a unicorn.
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 5:47 pm
  #82  
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Danielinvesting Our Taiwan and HK ideas both cost MORE than your new option AND entail extra quarantine. GinFizz discovered a true chink in the armor. There is no way it will last long. Of course you should do some due diligence before parting with your money, but focus on the airplane ticket itself at this stage. Presumably, after you buy it, you'll have ~3 days to figure out the testing protocols, which presumably aren't over the top, or onerous.
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 5:51 pm
  #83  
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Try to pay with a credit (not debit) card, preferably AmEx, so that you can do a chargeback if necessary if the flight is cancelled and a refund is slow.
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 6:59 pm
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Originally Posted by Danielinvesting
seems is more than 1500$ will check for September /October, will they rembourse the money if flight got cancelled?
Yes - for those dates the price is now around 3500 GBP. But still works for a week later, and in September is being sold for as low as 765 GBP. I am guessing there is an error of some sort here - either in pricing, or in the fact that they haven't turned off the option to allow stopovers following the changes in Health Code issuing policy (previously this would not have been a viable option for getting to China, only airside testing on a transit of less than 24hours would have been acceptable).



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Old Jul 16, 2022, 7:59 pm
  #85  
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We are currently discussing this fare in our WeChat group. It is almost certainly a mistake filing. I would never dream of discussing it in more popular FT forums, but I think we are pretty safe here. Danielinvesting please do a quick review of the fare rules, and BUY it. After that, we'll help you sort out the other details (not hard).
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 8:42 pm
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My only concern is that there is still no English version of the update to the travel requirements on the website of the Chinese Embassy in the UK.

My understanding is that Chinese text is quite clear that health codes are needed both from the UK and the transit country (my reading is that "transit" cannot mean "airside transit" as the text specifically notes that the requirements for the transit country must be adhered to).

赴中国人员可根据实际情况安排中转路线,但须向中国驻始发国及中转国使领馆分别申领健康码,行前请查看中国 驻始发国及中转国使领馆网站关于申请健康码的要求。如中国驻中转国使领馆对英国出发人员有其他材料要求的, 请在申请健康码时一并提交。中国驻英国使领馆将及时为符合要求的旅客审发健康码。考虑到健康码审核需要一定 时间,为避免影响行程,赴华旅客请在离英航班起飞前至少3个小时提交申请,并注意保持手机通讯畅通,避免漏 接来电。
(tweaked online translation to fix a couple of errors in translation)
People travelling to China may arrange the transit route according to the actual situation, but they must apply for a health code from the Chinese embassies and consulates in the country of origin and the country of transit, please check the requirements for applying for a health code on the websites of the Chinese embassies and consulates of the country of origin and transit before traveling. If the Chinese embassy or consulate in the transit country has other material requirements for the British departure personnel, please submit it when applying for the health code. The Chinese Embassy and Consulates in the UK will promptly review and issue health codes for passengers who meet the requirements. Considering that the health code review takes a certain amount of time, in order to avoid affecting the itinerary, passengers going to China should submit their applications at least 3 hours before the departure of their flights to the UK, and pay attention to keeping mobile phone communication open to avoid missing incoming calls.
((Chinese language travel-to-China update) )
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 11:12 pm
  #87  
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is this true? China doesn’t require a vaccination why they wrote that?



Why the airline requesting a vaccination since is not compulsory to have one to enter China?


Originally Posted by moondog
We are currently discussing this fare in our WeChat group. It is almost certainly a mistake filing. I would never dream of discussing it in more popular FT forums, but I think we are pretty safe here. Danielinvesting please do a quick review of the fare rules, and BUY it. After that, we'll help you sort out the other details (not hard).
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 11:16 pm
  #88  
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Originally Posted by GinFizz
My only concern is that there is still no English version of the update to the travel requirements on the website of the Chinese Embassy in the UK.

My understanding is that Chinese text is quite clear that health codes are needed both from the UK and the transit country (my reading is that "transit" cannot mean "airside transit" as the text specifically notes that the requirements for the transit country must be adhered to).



(tweaked online translation to fix a couple of errors in translation)


((Chinese language travel-to-China update) )
My interpretation also. Strictest but feasible interpretation of the notice is that you need both the QR code of the place you boarded the aircraft to China (this is also how some rules for arrival to HK are written), and well as the UK embassy’s QR code.
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Old Jul 16, 2022, 11:17 pm
  #89  
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Buy that ticket NOW. I am nearly certain that it won't be an option quite soon. You can jump through hoops after you have the ticket in hand.
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Old Jul 17, 2022, 12:02 am
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Originally Posted by moondog
Buy that ticket NOW. I am nearly certain that it won't be an option quite soon. You can jump through hoops after you have the ticket in hand.
I get the impression that Danielinvesting is not vaccinated (hence his question a couple of posts above). In that case it seems this is not an option for him

According to the Etihad web-pages there is an airline-requirement to be fully vaccinated, which to them means 2 doses + booster + 14 days. There is no way to get all that done even in a few months in the UK at least via the NHS (where the minimum schedule is 1st dose + 8 weeks + 2nd dose + 3 months + booster).

They also seem to require the <48hrs IgM test, which is now no longer required by the Chinese embassy - so it could be that these airline requirements are just not yet updated, or could be that they are insisting on extra tests/vaccination to lower their risk against having flights suspended.


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