Green, Amber, Red – but what about transiting?

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  • TominScotland
    Participant

    Hi all

    The Government has published a list of countries for which quarantine on return to the UK will not be required. The list provides about as much clarity to the average traveller as a London pea-souper from a 1950s film!!

    One thing that remains a mystery (to me at least) is what happens when you transit en route back to the UK. For example, Australia is currently Green but what would my status be if I fly back and changed plane in Dubai, as the UAE is Red?

    Can anyone give clarification?

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    capetonianm
    Participant

    I am seeking clarification myself but with every pronouncement that pea-souper seems to become denser.

    I was beginning to think it was I that was dense. If so I’m in good company as many of my friends who want to travel have given up trying to find the light, and so it seems have many here.


    Raffles99
    Participant

    Interestingly, the Government has changed the wording. The offical announcement here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors specifically said that you could not transit in a country not on the list.

    The document has now been rewritten and the phrase ‘transit in’ replaced by ‘stopped in’, as far as I can tell. If this was meant to make things clearly, it hasn’t!


    GivingupBA
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1003115][/postquote]

    Sorry but slightly off the “transit” topic – 3 days ago, on 3 July, I myself returned from a country on the list – South Korea. Now I’m confused – do I still have to self-quarantine at home from 10 July onwards? (The gov.uk site doesn’t talk about that).

    If some kind person could post a link / URL where it specifically explains this I would be very grateful, because at the moment I’m quarantined at home till 17 July. Thank you very much.


    MarcusGB
    Participant

    Indeed.
    I notice Singapore is not on that list either.
    I have not flown into Vatican City Airport recently either…..!!!

    But transit or stopover would need to be more clearly defined. These “Trumpeted” announcements are all one way, if we are not really allowed in to another country, outside of Europe?
    And considerable caution needs to be used, in what is required in the event of possible quarantine at your Country or Port of entry at yr destination, validity of Travel and medical insurances, Healthcare facilities there.
    Some countries were expecting Medical Certificates, to state you are free from Covid, no less than 72 hrs old!
    The possibility of getting that in the UK in time, to travel, let alone having booked way ahead flights, hotels, Business / Holiday, is almost impossible.

    Australia’s Border are “Closed” for air travel also, and could remain so until 2021, with Qantas pushing back International flights until at least October.
    So they show the World a RED Light except for a New Zealand Corridor, especially the UK, with the worst record in the UK in so many aspects.
    As we are expecting another peak here (Not a 2nd wave as this one has levelled off not been driven out), this is likely to be changing as time goes by.

    Sadly, the realism is from all experts, we have to live with this Covid -19 for some time yet. This is just the beginning.
    So these “Transit or stopover points” are essential to have clear.


    TominScotland
    Participant

    So, I have a friend who is returning from New Zealand with Emirates in early August. The airline have messed her schedule around quite a bit but now require her to stopover in the Dubai Airport transit hotel for something like 24 hours before continuing on to Glasgow (they cover the cost). Is that transit or a stopover?


    Gold-2K
    Participant

    A friend of mine with a US passport wants to come to London from Boston to pick up some things from his London home. I understand that he is allowed to travel from US to UK but would need to self quarantine in his London home for 14 days. Is he allowed to leave UK and go back to US before the 14 days quarantine is up providing he doesn’t go anywhere else, or is he stuck in UK London for a minimum of 14 days? His original plan was to land at LHR early am, head to his place, pack his things up and head back to LHR and USA the following morning. I’m not sure this is allowed unless you are a relative of the PM?


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    [quote quote=1003174]I’m not sure this is allowed[/quote]

    I am not convinced anyone would notice or care… (sadly)

    4 users thanked author for this post.

    capetonianm
    Participant

    I think Martyn is correct, and that highlights why the current system is so pointless and misleadlingly dangerous.

    Back to stopovers/transfers and I note that it has not been defined what the difference is in. I don’t know if they will apply the rule used in airline terminology where a transfer is <24 hours (contrary to common belief it can be overnight) and a stopover is >24 hours unless involuntary, i.e. no available onward connection, in which case there is a table of exceptions allowed.
    That is the general rule. North America and Oceania have different rules. Like everything else, it seems simple but isn’t.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    As highlighted, there is really no control on whether you really self quarantine or not. I mentioned somewhere else about someone from Zurich visiting London for the day without any problem. Someone else I know has quarantined, and has received no call or visit to check he is really there. It’s a bit of a farce really.

    There was talk in south Africa that the government would track you via a mobile phone to ensure you stayed at home, but someone realised you just need to leave your mobile at home so now the 14 day quarantine is enforced!


    MarcusGB
    Participant

    Australia and New Zealand, quarantine was provided in designated Government facilities, or hotels enables by The Government, and strictly monitored.
    When you consider the strict application of these policies, they have reflected well on some of the least cases and issues in both countries.
    Yet again, we could learn much from them.
    Clearly the Geography of both plays a part, tending to be “go To” rather than transit or fly further on.
    I always think of NZ as a bit of a Cul De Sac of the World!

    but both have managed very well, strictly as their Borders and Agriculture controls, but equally isolating their Island nations from a World Pandemic.


    GeorgeJ
    Participant

    The government has now published detailed guidance with regard to what is a transit stop

    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-travel-corridors

    Virtually any stop in a non exempt country (even if you stay on the plane/vessel) will result in quarantine and anything where you get off the plane/vessel certainly will.

    Wrapping up all travel vehicle/planes/vessels into one rule would explain the use of the word stopped. It is for once reasonably logical.


    GeorgeJ
    Participant

    With respect to the passenger wanting to come to London for the day.

    I think it is pretty clear, the journey back to LHR would not be a permitted reason to leave his “self isolating” accommodation:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk/coronavirus-covid-19-how-to-self-isolate-when-you-travel-to-the-uk

    Of course sending him back promptly to whence he came may be the optimal public health outcome but I wouldn’t want to rely on that as a defence.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    He came to London on two separate single tickets. He filled everything in, gave contact details, he has a house outside London. Point is no-one has controlled him. No one monitored if he went to his house or not, nor did the police make any spot checks from airport to office, and then office to airport.

    I’m not condoning this in any way, but it just illustrates how lax the monitoring actually is.

    2 users thanked author for this post.
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