NEWS & OFFERS: More countries changing entry requirements, BA First meals, Same day test to release – Testing launches at London City airport

More countries are changing their entry requirements – Abu Dhabi to partially open

Thanks to the new strain of COVID, some have been calling the UK “Plague Island” as a large number of countries stop flights or ban entry. You can find the list of countries that have restricted entry here.

The good news is that both St Lucia and Barbados have said they have no intention of banning the UK from entering. There is more good news with Abu Dhabi reopening its borders though not to the UK. Passengers from green countries will be allowed to enter with quarantine. The current list of ‘green’ countries is as follows: Australia, Brunei, China, Greece, Greenland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Other recent changes:

• USA from 28 December requires a negative PCR test within 72 hours to enter if coming from the UK – it had been said that Trump was about to lift the travel ban for the UK and Europe but this seems unlikely now
• All direct flights to South Africa from the UK are suspended 
• Hong Kong will require passengers from the UK to quarantine for 21 days instead of 14 days – and that’s with a PCR test!
• From 00.01 on 29 December 2020 all passengers inbound to the Netherlands, including Dutch nationals, must have a negative PCR test within 72 hours in order to board an aircraft bound for the Netherlands. Everyone arriving in the Netherlands is strongly advised to self-quarantine for a period of 10 days. 

British Airways First meals

Reader and previous contributor B has sent in his photos of the current first-class meals on British Airways. These are due to return to the normal pre COVID style First meals from 20 January.

He commented that the food was actually pretty good, service was superb, and having booked in the last sale and used an upgrade voucher, he thought that it was still worth it. To be fair compared to my recent experience in Club World, I would agree. 

He did also bring his own champagne which probably helped the experience versus the rather inferior quarter bottles of Nichola Feuillatte they are currently serving!

London City Airport open COVID testing centre

London City Airport has launched a new a testing centre, located in the main terminal, which is now open and will offer a full range of Government approved tests for arriving and departing passengers. This will include a rapid LAMP test which will allow UK quarantine to be cut from 10 to 5 days under the test to release program. This is a very useful addition as previously most test within the scheme were PCR tests which take a least 24 hours to come back and costs £79. Hopefully, more places will be allowed to offer this option. We will publishing one readers experience with test to release later this week. 

Tests will be carried out by Collinson nurses (who also do the Heathrow ones) and are available for passengers using LCY, or other airports.

All tests must be booked online ahead of time and passengers are reminded not to turn up at the airport without a confirmed appointment. Bookings can now be made online by visiting www.londoncityairport-test.com.

Prices are also reasonable and 36 hours for a PCR test is an acceptable turn around time for most destinations requiring a test 72 hours prior to departure.