[scott1nthesky]

Yes, all these things to think about – and more that haven’t cropped up yet I imagine. Border openings and quarantine-free travel as you note, are going to be critical. I also wonder what will happen with travel insurance and support locally if things go wrong, such as an unexpected outbreak.

[PeterCoultas]

What a horror, but just what one would expect from Heathrow airport and the Border Agency. I was annoyed when the single agency staff on duty meant that my wife took two & half hours to get from the plane to arrivals but todays news is that our efficient home secretary’s arrangements mean people (some with infants) are waiting over SEVEN HOURS before they are cleared to enter.

Isn’t it time that Bumbling Boris and his sidekick Potty Petal resigned so someone vaguely competent could work out a sensible system ?

1 user thanked author for this post.

AnthonyDunn

[AlanOrton1]

Disagree with you here Peter. I think you’re confusing the BT forum with the Guardian’s website and comments section. Am sure you’ll have plenty of supporters of your anti govt piffle there.

[MartynSinclair]

I still wonder why so many passengers are arriving into the UK … daily… and if they don’t have a valid reason why they are not being turned away…

[FaroFlyer]

I just read about the 7 hour queue on BBC News https://www.bbc.com/news/business-56209431

It made me wonder if the 10 day hotel isolation is hotel check in time + 10 days, or is it 10 nights. The news story was about people landing early evening but not getting through until early morning, after midnight.

[SimonS1]

[postquote quote=1093762]

I wasn’t aware you had to have a “valid reason” to enter the UK, only to follow the quarantine rules.

2 users thanked author for this post.

AllOverTheGaff, DavidSmith2

[DavidSmith2]

indeed. and complete the pre and post tests. but no one will check the purpose of your visit to the UK. that restriction only applies to UK residents trying to leave.

[MartynSinclair]

So the answer to my question is the UK border remains busy because you don’t need a reason to enter the UK (including foreign visitors) – just the need to self isolate for 10 days and take 2 covid tests…

Yet the entire UK is banned from leaving the UK except for a very limited and narrow range of reasons..

yep, all sounds very logical…

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AnthonyDunn, ASK1945, PeterCoultas, DerekVH, canucklad

[canucklad]

More and more I’m coming to the realization that the best way forward to getting anywhere need a global resolution is for an international agreement to ban all air travel ( Think 9/11 or Icelandic Volcanoes) for at least a month .
As long as at the same time individual governments seriously take actions to aggressively pursue the virus .

I was taken aback by the reports on the news here in Scotland , that the authorities where implementing an enhanced track and trace system to try and find this chap with the Brazilian variant . !2 months in and they;re introducing an “Enhanced System” ?
Add in today’s news that our Scottish scientists and government have changed the tier system criteria to make it doubly hard to get out of tier 3 and near impossible to get out of tier 1 ….. Frustration totally maxed out this morning !!

Restarting international travel should only start after its shut down !!

[SimonS1]

Not sure that the borders really are that busy. Only the “busy” created by officious border force people taking 15 mins per traveller.

7 flights landing at Gatwick between 9am and 4pm doesn’t sound busy to me. Heathrow a few more but about 5 flights an hour during the day including domestics.

Probably material for a good moan at the local WI though. Meantime leave the government to carry on getting cases down and get the economy open again.

[Remove headpiece to avoid whiny style echo noise copyright N Sturgeon 2021].

[PeterCoultas]

SimonS1. “Not sure that the borders really are that busy. Only the “busy” created by officious border force people taking 15 mins per traveller”

100% correct…. badly organised as usual by total incompetents…. even if there were a requirement for an antigen test prior to entry that could (and should) take well under an hour to complete

[Inquisitive]

[postquote quote=1093770]

I do not find anything wrong with the approach followed by UK government.
UK government is trying to protect its citizens from external carriers hence isolation period and testing for visitors.
And UK government is trying to protect its citizens those who are careless to go abroad at this time and likely harm themselves and family and friends if they become COVID-19 asymptotic carriers.

[SimonS1]

Evidence to the Home Affairs committee today is that average between 14,000 and 15,000 people currently arrive in England each day. Of these are third are hauliers driving food lorries etc leaving 10,000 others.

All of these have negative tests. Of these an average 150 a day have to go to quarantine.

I don’t think my knickers will be twisting too much but complaints on a postcard to Daily Mail c/o your nearest Waste Paper Basket.

1 user thanked author for this post.

AnthonyDunn

[DavidSmith2]

[postquote quote=1093822]

I think the majority have to go into quarantine (unless you are in an exempt category). Just that you can quarantine at home or at a location of your own choosing, rather than at a Government-sanctioned hotel.

[canucklad]

Hi Simon, read your comment above with interest and it brings balance to a sometimes emotive debate .
I’m hoping I’ve understood the numbers quoted above correctly, specifically the 150 going into quarantine ( I’m assuming that’s because of a positive test?

If so , let me compare that to our new moved goalpost figures that the Scottish government has now set down as markers to eventually move us out of tier 3 . Bearing in mind , tier 3 is just a euphemistic term for a les strict but strict all the same lockdown .

Arriving in the UK : 150 cases per 15, 000
Scotland’s new getting out of tier 3 goal posts has moved from 300 cases per 100, 000 to 150 cases per 100, 000

Nicola would have kittens with the 150 per 15, 000 number !!

[Author]

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