Travel European Travel and Holidays 2021/22

Apparently in their computer system they have trouble determine IF child_age >= 12 THEN must have forms....

It is just such a fecking non-stop ball ache.... so now I have to upload forms with text on it saying "YOUR SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING - SHE IS 10 YEARS OLD!!! STOP ASKING ME FOR FORMS"

thankfully I am staying in London and my long suffering wife will have to sort out all the return stuff for my boys who we stick on the eurostar...
 
Paul I know it is a pain having to upload these forms but it is an attempt by Eurotunnel to try and streamline the check in, like the API details.

Having travel recently on Eurotunnel I can assure you it is a hell of a lot better than being sat in a long queue behind car loads of families who haven’t uploaded these things and are all trying to locate the relevant documents on their various mobile devices.
 
Interesting experience at Eurotunnel terminal yesterday morning. Was there over an hour in advance to catch the 6.50am but there was so much traffic to get in (only two booths open) that ending up missing this train and got shunted onto the 8.18am service.

Only thing that was checked throughout the whole transit through the terminal was my passport. No Covid pass check or health declaration check although I suspect that just don't have the personnel numbers to carry this out.
 
Mark Priestley said:
Interesting experience at Eurotunnel terminal yesterday morning. Was there over an hour in advance to catch the 6.50am but there was so much traffic to get in (only two booths open) that ending up missing this train and got shunted onto the 8.18am service.

Only thing that was checked throughout the whole transit through the terminal was my passport. No Covid pass check or health declaration check although I suspect that just don't have the personnel numbers to carry this out.
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Similar experience in terms of booths when we crossed early in the morning at start of June. Did manage to catch an earlier shuttle, though.
The border booths were slicker.
My understanding is theFrench don’t need a test on entry though I thought they were checking vaccinations!
As for the ever-changing requirements to return to my homeland, I’ll check nearer the time.
 
Initially I was looking at Eurotunnel but the cost reached £348 so I looked at Newhaven to Dieppe and this was £195. Also, necessary to upload all documents to Eurotunnel account. There was probably no more than 10 cars, the rest being lorries. Showing evidence of fully vaccinated (paper) and PCR tests (downloads on mobile) the border checks were quite quick.

Regards

Martin
 
Eurotunnel update - my wife made it through. French customs asked for evidence of vacine (she has the NHS app) and also evidence of my son's Antigen test.

Eurotunnel's website a bit buggy as my daughter is excempt from having evidence of antigen test, but they still insisted on document so I basically uploaded a letter saying "she is under 12". They were fine with that.

Got our antigen test at the O2 in North Greenwich - 5 mins in and out - £40. Results in 30 mins.
 
DD is going to Ibiza, but because she's too young to have been able to get double vaxed, needs tests prior to flying out, prior to flying back and then day 2 and day 8 after return. The one she doesn't seem to be able to get her head around in terms of ordering the right thing is the one prior to flying back. She's generally pretty smart at online stuff, but now thinks she's bought the wrong thing and they say the tests are non-refundable! How can they get this exemption from the usual distance selling regs?
 
Alex Lake said:
DD is going to Ibiza, but because she's too young to have been able to get double vaxed, needs tests prior to flying out, prior to flying back and then day 2 and day 8 after return. The one she doesn't seem to be able to get her head around in terms of ordering the right thing is the one prior to flying back. She's generally pretty smart at online stuff, but now thinks she's bought the wrong thing and they say the tests are non-refundable! How can they get this exemption from the usual distance selling regs?
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If bought by credit card chargeback may be an option.
 
Ben Coffman said:
Strong report in Times yesterday that Govt are preparing to change policy on France AGAIN, so it is just amber, not amber plus. Announcement due Thursday....
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Of course. I think it’s become more mainstream opinion that they included the Reunion figures in which massively sways the Beta numbers. I’ve not heard a single denial or comment on this, though they haven’t been pushed enough on this.
I cancelled our holiday as couldn’t risk changes from either side. Combine this with test costs and everything else I think we will wait until next year, yet again.
 
Last analysis of Marseilles waste waters, delta variant over 95% of covid found (maybe they survive longer in waste waters?...).
For those who can't make it to France, there is an article in La Provence about Cornish Pastis! Quite an anticipation on global warming... as Cornwall may become Provence pretty quick and one may be drinking local stuff.
They mention though that the French add 5 volumes of water while the British only add 2 volume of water per volume of pastis ... Culture difference I assume
 
Anyone know what is happening re Italy and UK entry? Their current regs expire tomorrow and nothing yet on what comes next.

Edit: actually they expire at midnight tonight!
 
Gareth Powell said:
Anyone know what is happening re Italy and UK entry? Their current regs expire tomorrow and nothing yet on what comes next.

Edit: actually they expire at midnight tonight!
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Gov.uk, the foreign advice section, gives the latest situation. I'd advise subscribing to the email update service which will send out the latest developments as they happen. I've subscribed for the email updates for France and have been most impressed with the clarity of the section and the email updates.
 
John Devlin said:
Gov.uk, the foreign advice section, gives the latest situation. I'd advise subscribing to the email update service which will send out the latest developments as they happen. I've subscribed for the email updates for France and have been most impressed with the clarity of the section and the email updates.
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Thanks.
 
Finally managed too book a few days at our place near Vejer. Flights to Jerez are thin on the ground so are going via Gibraltar for the first time in ages.
 
Cabin fever has reached fever pitch so I am doing what I swore I would never do - book a holiday to France in August.

As I understand it all I need to do above and beyond the usual is to show proof of double vaccination on my NHS app when I get to Folkestone?

But when returning presumably I still need to buy a PCR test in France a few days prior?
 
Ian Hampsted said:
But when returning presumably I still need to buy a PCR test in France a few days prior?
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Correct me if I am wrong; I think you will also need to at least pre-book and pay for a day-two PCR test after coming back to the UK before you travel (I think you will need your booking reference in the passenger locator form before you arrive UK). That's assuming France will be downgraded from amber+ to amber.
If ten days quarantine rule remains in August, you will need to book and pay for PCR test for day 2 and day 8 +ten days quarantine, or day 2, 5, and 8 three PCR tests, if you want to shorten quarantine to 5-6 days.
 
Gareth Powell said:
Anyone know what is happening re Italy and UK entry? Their current regs expire tomorrow and nothing yet on what comes next.

Edit: actually they expire at midnight tonight!
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Yes, it's been confirmed that 5 days quarantine will still be required in Italy arriving from the UK. Until 30 August for the time being. Was perhaps still holding out a bit of hope that it might be feasible to get out there but not a hugely surprising result (if one that is still a bit difficult to understand).

Edit: just to say that the ordnance has been issued by the ministry of health but its own website hasn't yet been updated (nor that of the FCO, or the Italian Embassy in the UK).
 
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