Covid-19 Spain
Jul 18, 2020, 6:16 am
#211
Join Date: May 2003
Location: TLL
Programs: OZ Diamond, BA slvr, Bonvoy Ambassador, HH Gold
Posts: 4,429
Anyone have any experience in how the "Stay at home" orders in Barcelona are being enforced? I am supposed to go in two weeks and trying to decide if I should cancel the trip.
Jul 18, 2020, 10:07 am
#212
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Barcelona, Catalunya
Posts: 2,115
Right now, there are no "orders", only a recommendation. So nothing can be enforced.But they are already talking about going back into lockdown if people do not follow the current recommendations (which of course they are not doing - with people happily leaving the city to go to their 2nd residence on the coast for instance).
If the city goes back to a mandatory lockdown, it will likely happen within the next 2 weeks. If you can cancel without costs, I'd do that.
If the city goes back to a mandatory lockdown, it will likely happen within the next 2 weeks. If you can cancel without costs, I'd do that.
Jul 20, 2020, 9:59 am
#213
Join Date: May 2003
Location: TLL
Programs: OZ Diamond, BA slvr, Bonvoy Ambassador, HH Gold
Posts: 4,429
Thanks - I am supposed to meet a friend there, so I am still holding out hope. I can cancel pretty much everything up until the day before, so I'm just going to keep monitoring and hope things get better.
Jul 22, 2020, 12:35 pm
#214
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Arlington, VA, USA
Programs: AA PLT UA GLD
Posts: 137
UK/US Dual Citizens Traveling to Spain via UK - COVID
Here's the scenario, and while I personally discourage the travel, I would love to hear the communities thoughts on feasibility.
A family of 5 (1 US citizen, 4 US/UK dual citizens) wish to travel from New York to Ibiza in August.
From what I can gather, Spain is only permitting entry for UK residents from the UK. - "UK nationals can enter Spain from outside EU/Schengen member states only if they reside in the UK and are arriving from the country of residence."
If they wish to layover or connect in the UK, the travelers can enter the UK with no problem, and must then self-isolate - but self-isolation can be ended by departing the UK.
So - I guess the question is - will Spain know or care how long they were in the UK in self-isolation before traveling to Ibiza? Are there any other legal issues here?
Thank you for your thoughts
A family of 5 (1 US citizen, 4 US/UK dual citizens) wish to travel from New York to Ibiza in August.
From what I can gather, Spain is only permitting entry for UK residents from the UK. - "UK nationals can enter Spain from outside EU/Schengen member states only if they reside in the UK and are arriving from the country of residence."
If they wish to layover or connect in the UK, the travelers can enter the UK with no problem, and must then self-isolate - but self-isolation can be ended by departing the UK.
So - I guess the question is - will Spain know or care how long they were in the UK in self-isolation before traveling to Ibiza? Are there any other legal issues here?
Thank you for your thoughts
Jul 22, 2020, 1:09 pm
#215
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: MAD
Programs: LATAMPass Gold, AA Gold, DL Silver Medallion
Posts: 456
I see 3 problems:
For the Brits, I guess they should be fine doing it, but not as a connecting flight. These have to be independent flights. However, as it has been reported ad nauseam in other threads, ending the isolation early means the possibility of being found (either by the airline, or by the UK authorities) and fined.
And then, there is the American.
S/he is a family member of the rest of the flyers, but unlike them, who will enter the UK with a British passport, will use an American passport and be stamped upon entry. And when s/he tries to leave, this will be noticed —either check-in, passport control— and probably not allowed to fly (and if the agent who notices it is intelligent he will realise that the rest of the group where s/he is flying are coming also from the US because they belong to the same family, do some checks, and stop them), or this will happen upon touchdown in Spain. End of the trip for all.
So, s/he might be allowed to fly on the basis of being a family member of a European citizen, however, at some point there will be a check on when s/he entered Europe and the lie will be found.
The last problem comes —for everyone in the group— from a new Spanish regulation that stipulates that all travelers to Spain, independent of citizenship MUST fill a form a day before flying where they report their address, phone number, carrier company, and you guessed, in which countries they have been during the last 14 days. If you report as having been in the US for the last 14 days you won't be able to fly. The alternative is lying, which has legal consequences (the least of them being expelled from Spain), so I would just avoid the trip if possible.
For the Brits, I guess they should be fine doing it, but not as a connecting flight. These have to be independent flights. However, as it has been reported ad nauseam in other threads, ending the isolation early means the possibility of being found (either by the airline, or by the UK authorities) and fined.
And then, there is the American.
S/he is a family member of the rest of the flyers, but unlike them, who will enter the UK with a British passport, will use an American passport and be stamped upon entry. And when s/he tries to leave, this will be noticed —either check-in, passport control— and probably not allowed to fly (and if the agent who notices it is intelligent he will realise that the rest of the group where s/he is flying are coming also from the US because they belong to the same family, do some checks, and stop them), or this will happen upon touchdown in Spain. End of the trip for all.
So, s/he might be allowed to fly on the basis of being a family member of a European citizen, however, at some point there will be a check on when s/he entered Europe and the lie will be found.
The last problem comes —for everyone in the group— from a new Spanish regulation that stipulates that all travelers to Spain, independent of citizenship MUST fill a form a day before flying where they report their address, phone number, carrier company, and you guessed, in which countries they have been during the last 14 days. If you report as having been in the US for the last 14 days you won't be able to fly. The alternative is lying, which has legal consequences (the least of them being expelled from Spain), so I would just avoid the trip if possible.
Jul 22, 2020, 1:30 pm
#216
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: Flying Blue Plat, Air Europa Silver, IHG Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,012
Businesses in Barcelona are already furious about the existing restrictions.
A mandatory "stay at home" lockdown is not going to happen unless the deaths rates start to spike exponentially and the central goverment has to come to our rescue again. But that is unlikely at this point in time as the numbers aren't that bad.
Last edited by NewbieRunner; Jul 23, 2020 at 2:14 am Reason: Redacted OMNI comment
Jul 22, 2020, 1:32 pm
#217
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: Flying Blue Plat, Air Europa Silver, IHG Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 1,012
I see 3 problems:
For the Brits, I guess they should be fine doing it, but not as a connecting flight. These have to be independent flights. However, as it has been reported ad nauseam in other threads, ending the isolation early means the possibility of being found (either by the airline, or by the UK authorities) and fined.
And then, there is the American.
S/he is a family member of the rest of the flyers, but unlike them, who will enter the UK with a British passport, will use an American passport and be stamped upon entry. And when s/he tries to leave, this will be noticed —either check-in, passport control— and probably not allowed to fly (and if the agent who notices it is intelligent he will realise that the rest of the group where s/he is flying are coming also from the US because they belong to the same family, do some checks, and stop them), or this will happen upon touchdown in Spain. End of the trip for all.
So, s/he might be allowed to fly on the basis of being a family member of a European citizen, however, at some point there will be a check on when s/he entered Europe and the lie will be found.
The last problem comes —for everyone in the group— from a new Spanish regulation that stipulates that all travelers to Spain, independent of citizenship MUST fill a form a day before flying where they report their address, phone number, carrier company, and you guessed, in which countries they have been during the last 14 days. If you report as having been in the US for the last 14 days you won't be able to fly. The alternative is lying, which has legal consequences (the least of them being expelled from Spain), so I woiuld just avoid the trip if possible.
For the Brits, I guess they should be fine doing it, but not as a connecting flight. These have to be independent flights. However, as it has been reported ad nauseam in other threads, ending the isolation early means the possibility of being found (either by the airline, or by the UK authorities) and fined.
And then, there is the American.
S/he is a family member of the rest of the flyers, but unlike them, who will enter the UK with a British passport, will use an American passport and be stamped upon entry. And when s/he tries to leave, this will be noticed —either check-in, passport control— and probably not allowed to fly (and if the agent who notices it is intelligent he will realise that the rest of the group where s/he is flying are coming also from the US because they belong to the same family, do some checks, and stop them), or this will happen upon touchdown in Spain. End of the trip for all.
So, s/he might be allowed to fly on the basis of being a family member of a European citizen, however, at some point there will be a check on when s/he entered Europe and the lie will be found.
The last problem comes —for everyone in the group— from a new Spanish regulation that stipulates that all travelers to Spain, independent of citizenship MUST fill a form a day before flying where they report their address, phone number, carrier company, and you guessed, in which countries they have been during the last 14 days. If you report as having been in the US for the last 14 days you won't be able to fly. The alternative is lying, which has legal consequences (the least of them being expelled from Spain), so I woiuld just avoid the trip if possible.
Jul 22, 2020, 1:36 pm
#218
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: MAD
Programs: LATAMPass Gold, AA Gold, DL Silver Medallion
Posts: 456
Unless they can portkey directly to Ibiza (also, I would recommend checking the status of the Islands because they have impossed restrictions in certain things. If they are planning on drinking on the bars they might be in for a surprise, or walking without masks...)
Jul 22, 2020, 1:59 pm
#219
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Arlington, VA, USA
Programs: AA PLT UA GLD
Posts: 137
Thank you for the prompt and detailed response.
We're on the same page - I think they'll likely get "caught" either on departure from the UK or arrival in Spain.
Regarding the new Spanish immigration form - can you advise if/where you've seen anything that shows the 14 day restriction for entry from the US? I'd like to see a copy of the regulation and maybe the form - is it the FCS form or something else?
Thanks again!
We're on the same page - I think they'll likely get "caught" either on departure from the UK or arrival in Spain.
Regarding the new Spanish immigration form - can you advise if/where you've seen anything that shows the 14 day restriction for entry from the US? I'd like to see a copy of the regulation and maybe the form - is it the FCS form or something else?
Thanks again!
Jul 22, 2020, 2:53 pm
#221
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: MAD
Programs: LATAMPass Gold, AA Gold, DL Silver Medallion
Posts: 456
Form is here: https://www.spth.gob.es/
No, actually the 14 rule does not apply for US citizens, I just checked. According to this site (https://reopen.europa.eu/), its free circulation only for European residents:
The US is in none of those lists. Also useful is the information here (https://es.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/).
No, actually the 14 rule does not apply for US citizens, I just checked. According to this site (https://reopen.europa.eu/), its free circulation only for European residents:
As of 21/6/20, Spain has opened borders without quarantine requirements and travel restrictions for residents in the European Union, countries that are parties to the Schengen Agreement, Andorra, Monaco, The Vatican City and San Marino. As of 4 July, residents of Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay are also allowed to enter Spain; residents of Algeria, China and Morocco may enter Spain only in case of reciprocity measures taken by the respective countries.
Last edited by MfromL; Jul 22, 2020 at 3:13 pm