Practicality of Landside Transit via the UK without Day 2 Test
Jun 22, 2021, 5:36 am
#46
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 81
I will be arriving in Belfast from Spain, and intend to immediately drive to the ROI. Therefore I am in landside transit whilst in the U.K., and will follow the ROIs guidance on International travellers.
However on the gov website it says:
If you are transiting landside, you must be entering the UK for the sole purposes of continuing a journey to a country outside of the Common Travel Area. The Common Travel Area is the UK (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
What should I do regarding the day 2 and day 8 tests for entry to NI? Clearly I will be staying in the CTA, but I don’t see how I can do the tests in the ROI, and in any case the law is different.
However on the gov website it says:
If you are transiting landside, you must be entering the UK for the sole purposes of continuing a journey to a country outside of the Common Travel Area. The Common Travel Area is the UK (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales), Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
What should I do regarding the day 2 and day 8 tests for entry to NI? Clearly I will be staying in the CTA, but I don’t see how I can do the tests in the ROI, and in any case the law is different.
Jun 22, 2021, 6:23 am
#47
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,964
So I am assuming you are arriving directly in to NI from Spain and not going via anywhere else in the UK.
For NI arrivals you are exempt from booking the day2&8 tests if you are a transit passenger for the Republic of Ireland. You must be able to provide evidence to show the border force officer that you do intend to immediately travel directly to Ireland. This may include evidence of residency in Ireland, evidence of a hotel reservation in Ireland for the day of arrival, or evidence of immediate direct onward travel plans to Ireland.
On the PLF I don't know if there is a specific subset category of landside transit you can select for this. If not just select you don't need the tests and select landside transit.
For NI arrivals you are exempt from booking the day2&8 tests if you are a transit passenger for the Republic of Ireland. You must be able to provide evidence to show the border force officer that you do intend to immediately travel directly to Ireland. This may include evidence of residency in Ireland, evidence of a hotel reservation in Ireland for the day of arrival, or evidence of immediate direct onward travel plans to Ireland.
On the PLF I don't know if there is a specific subset category of landside transit you can select for this. If not just select you don't need the tests and select landside transit.
Jun 22, 2021, 2:11 pm
#48
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,315
Given the new wave of Covid in the UK, there may be entry restrictions based on the flight in certain countries. This link says that flight from the UK have a "landing ban" in Austria.
https://www.euronews.com/travel/2021...l-restrictions
https://www.euronews.com/travel/2021...l-restrictions
Jul 9, 2021, 9:58 am
#49
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, UA Silver, Hilton Gold, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 1,509
for the purposes of this issue, yes. See here https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33318306-post8459.html
if you are in the uk overnight you are not within that definition. You must self isolate at a hotel overnight. Also if you look at the last few posts on that thread I have linked to, you will now see that for a stay of 1 night or more you must now buy a day 2 test package (possibly a day 8 as well if not from a green country) even if you plan to leave by day 2 - this change only came in to effect this week.
any trip in to the uk now requires a plf, pre arrival test, and post arrival tests if not doing a same day transit. Also if not from a green country you must self isolate whilst here.
if you are in the uk overnight you are not within that definition. You must self isolate at a hotel overnight. Also if you look at the last few posts on that thread I have linked to, you will now see that for a stay of 1 night or more you must now buy a day 2 test package (possibly a day 8 as well if not from a green country) even if you plan to leave by day 2 - this change only came in to effect this week.
any trip in to the uk now requires a plf, pre arrival test, and post arrival tests if not doing a same day transit. Also if not from a green country you must self isolate whilst here.
Jul 9, 2021, 10:10 am
#50
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,964
Jul 10, 2021, 5:19 am
#51
Join Date: May 2000
Posts: 750
That was our experience on an overnight transit through LHR last month; very straightforward, exactly as the UK government guidance says.
Jul 11, 2021, 4:07 am
#52
Join Date: May 2020
Programs: Qatar Plat OW*E, HH Diamond, Hyatt Exp, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 274
I've done the exemption 3 times now and no problems at all. Only tried when flying BA or Iberia though.
T5 border let me pass easy no problem but I did have to show my onward ticket this last time {3 days ago}.
So don't stress. Just fill the PLF with the exemption. And when they ask just say you're going straight home or to your hotel and will catch your flight the next day or day after. Easy!
T5 border let me pass easy no problem but I did have to show my onward ticket this last time {3 days ago}.
So don't stress. Just fill the PLF with the exemption. And when they ask just say you're going straight home or to your hotel and will catch your flight the next day or day after. Easy!
Jul 11, 2021, 1:00 pm
#53
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: eastern Europe & NC
Posts: 4,527
I will be doing an overnight transit via LHR in a few weeks. How easy it is to get meals in "self isolation" at a small hotel? The one I have used frequently on previous transits has a decent pub next door where I have usually taken meals, but I do not think it is affiliated with the hotel. Am I going to need to bring food with me?
I wish I could find a connection through a country with a little more common sense on this lockdown stuff like maybe Sweden.
I wish I could find a connection through a country with a little more common sense on this lockdown stuff like maybe Sweden.
Jul 11, 2021, 1:26 pm
#54
Join Date: May 2020
Programs: Qatar Plat OW*E, HH Diamond, Hyatt Exp, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 274
I will be doing an overnight transit via LHR in a few weeks. How easy it is to get meals in "self isolation" at a small hotel? The one I have used frequently on previous transits has a decent pub next door where I have usually taken meals, but I do not think it is affiliated with the hotel. Am I going to need to bring food with me?
I wish I could find a connection through a country with a little more common sense on this lockdown stuff like maybe Sweden.
I wish I could find a connection through a country with a little more common sense on this lockdown stuff like maybe Sweden.
Jul 11, 2021, 1:34 pm
#55
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,964
I will be doing an overnight transit via LHR in a few weeks. How easy it is to get meals in "self isolation" at a small hotel? The one I have used frequently on previous transits has a decent pub next door where I have usually taken meals, but I do not think it is affiliated with the hotel. Am I going to need to bring food with me?
I wish I could find a connection through a country with a little more common sense on this lockdown stuff like maybe Sweden.
I wish I could find a connection through a country with a little more common sense on this lockdown stuff like maybe Sweden.
Aug 26, 2021, 5:14 am
#56
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: BG
Programs: BAEC Silver, TK Elite, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 827
Just for extra confirmation, I wrote to test and trace regarding a transit in the UK and this was there response.Test and Trace <[email protected]>
Dear englisha
Thank you for contacting us.
Green and Amber arrivals intending to stay in the UK for fewer than 48 hours are not required to pre-purchase a testing kit.
Kind Regards,
Wayne Ramsay
DHSC
NHS Test & Trace International Arrivals
--------------- Original Message ---------------
From: englisha
I will be in transit in the UK for 45 hours on my way to Iceland from Bulgaria. I will quarrantine with my parents for 1 night in the UK.
Obviously the day 8 test is impossible, but what about the day 2 test? Is it required for such a transit?
Test and Trace <[email protected]>
Dear englishaThank you for contacting us.
Green and Amber arrivals intending to stay in the UK for fewer than 48 hours are not required to pre-purchase a testing kit.
Kind Regards,
Wayne Ramsay
DHSC
NHS Test & Trace International Arrivals
--------------- Original Message ---------------
From: englisha
I will be in transit in the UK for 45 hours on my way to Iceland from Bulgaria. I will quarrantine with my parents for 1 night in the UK.
Obviously the day 8 test is impossible, but what about the day 2 test? Is it required for such a transit?
Sep 8, 2021, 3:36 am
#57
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 447
Just for extra confirmation, I wrote to test and trace regarding a transit in the UK and this was there response.Test and Trace <[email protected]>
Dear englisha
Thank you for contacting us.
Green and Amber arrivals intending to stay in the UK for fewer than 48 hours are not required to pre-purchase a testing kit.
Kind Regards,
Wayne Ramsay
DHSC
NHS Test & Trace International Arrivals
Test and Trace <[email protected]>
Dear englishaThank you for contacting us.
Green and Amber arrivals intending to stay in the UK for fewer than 48 hours are not required to pre-purchase a testing kit.
Kind Regards,
Wayne Ramsay
DHSC
NHS Test & Trace International Arrivals
If you will be in England for less than 2 days you still need to book and pay for a day 2 COVID-19 test. You only need to take the test if you are still in England on day 2.
Sep 8, 2021, 3:38 am
#58
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 447
I've got a question as well though: I'm in London, and will be flying abroad with a friend from (green list) Europe. He'll arrive on Thursday afternoon, and we'll both be flying out of LHR on Friday morning.
The government website classes this as "landside transit" because it's less than 24 hours. Further down they also mention that you'd have to travel directly between airports though, or stay there. So would he have to claim that he's gonna stay in the LHR departures hall overnight?
The government website classes this as "landside transit" because it's less than 24 hours. Further down they also mention that you'd have to travel directly between airports though, or stay there. So would he have to claim that he's gonna stay in the LHR departures hall overnight?
Sep 8, 2021, 4:03 am
#59
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,964
He can't stay in the departures hall overnight.
If he is just staying one night it seems UKBF are fine with not booking a day 2 test if that's the concern?
If he is just staying one night it seems UKBF are fine with not booking a day 2 test if that's the concern?
Sep 8, 2021, 8:29 am
#60
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: BG
Programs: BAEC Silver, TK Elite, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 827
Well that goes completely against what's stated on https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-ambe...ering-england: