Travel Designers Coronavirus Travel Guidelines
As the world continues to fight Coranavirus Covid-19 the travel industry is trying to react as quickly as it can to this unprecedented situation. Terms and conditions are changing weekly as airlines start flying, cruise ships introduce more itineraries and hotels open their doors, we try to keep our customers advised on Coronavirus Travel updates.
If you have a booking with us we will have been in contact and the options available to you are described in as much detail as we have at the moment.
Government Covid-19 Passenger Charter Check List
Latest Update September 01, 2021
The Travel Task Force as part of the Government investigation into getting International travel back on track has been reported. A traffic light system of Red, Amber and Green is being used to identify those countries at high risk of Covid. Please also take note of the “Green Watch List” destinations on this list can change to Amber or red without notice.
All destinations on the Green list are acceptable destinations for UK residents to travel to. However, not all are open for UK residents. In order to travel, you must –
- Check the destination status by the UK Government. Is it Red, Amber or Green?
- Check the entry requirements of the destination. Are you allowed to enter?
- Check the return requirements of the Government Amber = Isolation (non Vaccinated) and Red = Quarantine.
- Check your passport validity.
- Check your insurance cover validity.
- Check the rules that apply for vaccinated and non-vaccinated travellers.
The latest guidelines are for non-essential travel from the UK read more on the latest travel restrictions
Legally permitted reasons to travel out of England are listed on the Government site Click here
Book With Confidence
Thankfully a lot of operators are adjusting their terms and conditions to more flexible options allowing cancellations or amendments to bookings due to Covid-19. What this means for customers is that you can book with confidence, you will be safe in the knowledge that the operator we place your booking with will allow you to change your holiday should it not be able to go ahead due to COVID-19.
If you can afford to isolate do not discount travel to Amber destinations as Europe is very quiet with customers reporting quiet beach resorts and lots of social distancing and a feeling of safety during these COVID times. Test to return options are more readily available than a few months ago and more people are travelling without issues.
Travel Insurance
More so that ever we strongly recommend that every customer travelling overseas has a valid travel insurance policy with a trusted insurer that includes cover for Covid-19
Cover that you should look for is the possibility of Positive Covid test results pre to travelling, cancellation cover, medical cover and repatriation from worldwide destinations including those countries that are advising against all but essential travel.
Do Travel Corridors still apply?
Travel Corridors were introduced by the Government and are also known as an air bridge, these have been replaced by the Traffic Light System (Red Amber Green Lists). The Lists allow passengers from the UK to travel to other countries specified on the Government website. These traffic lights, allows passengers to travel on certain routes to and from specified countries and territories with low COVID-19 infection rates without the need to self-isolate for 14-days when they return to the UK.
As they change so often the best place to keep up to date is on the Government site with the latest countries click on Red Amber Green Lists.
- What happens if I am travelling to a country that is on the Red list?
Upon return to the UK, you will be required to quarantine for 14-days. - What happens if I have a stop-over (transit stop) in a country, on a Red list?
If your journey involves a transit stop in a country on the Red list, you will need to quarantine when you arrive in England if:
new passengers get on, or, you or other passengers get off the transport you are on and mix with other people, then get on again. - You do not need to self-isolate beyond normal timescales if, during your transit stop in a non-exempt country:
no new passengers get on, nobody on-board gets off and mixes with people outside, or, passengers get off but do not get back on.
Returning To The UK
Everyone travelling to the UK must:
- book at least one coronavirus (COVID-19) test for day 2 for Green & Amber destinations and another day 8 for Red destinations
- provide your contact details by completing the online passenger locator form
- provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken in the 3 days before you leave for the UK
- follow the testing and quarantine rules in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
- green & Amber list – If Vaccinated you must take a coronavirus (COVID-19) test on or before day 2
- amber list -If unvaccinated you must quarantine/isolate in the place you’re staying and take 2 COVID-19 tests day 2 and day 8
- red list – you must quarantine in a Government hotel and take 2 COVID-19 tests day 2 and day 8 regardless of vaccination status
The information provided will be used to contact passengers if someone on your flight, ship or train tests positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).
Click here to complete the form
Useful Links
All UK passport holders and customers, we suggest that you monitor the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for the latest travel advice. You can sign up for email updates on a country you are planning to visit. For the latest travel advice follow this link Travelling from the UK
To check the entry requirements for each country check the Government travel advice by clicking here
Alternatively, to stay up to date with the World Health Organisation (WHO)
Testing for PCR we recommend Eurofins and Randox Health which we have reduced the cost to their Covid-19 PCR test kits of just £43 per test and can test 500,000 tests per day. Sign up for a discount code click here
|
Test Type |
Discounted Price |
|
Pre-Departure |
£43 |
|
Day 5 Test To Release |
£43 |
|
Day 2 Only |
£43 |
|
Day 8 Only |
£43 |
|
Day 2 & Day 8 |
£86 |
|
Green Travel Pack |
£86 |
|
Amber Travel Pack |
£129 |
|
Algarve Return Amber Travel Pack |
£189 |
Entry into the US requires an Embassy issued visa or ESTA. UK residents are not allowed to enter if they have been in the UK for 14 days prior to arrival, keep checking the US updates for more information on entry directly from the UK.
We have also listed below some of the key facts we have discovered as we have been processing our bookings.
Operators are now selling holidays for UK itineraries and those destinations on the Green List. Booking conditions are good with low deposits and a guarantee of amendments free of charge if required. Some clients are grabbing the deals for these destinations and short UKstaycation cruises. We are of course here to assist with all your travel requirements.
Lots of free child places have arrived for summer 2022 and winter ski departures to encourage bookings. If you are thinking of holidays why not consider booking now. Free amendments and delayed departures are on offer if this continues.
For those customers that love to get away for Christmas now is the time to be planning as offers are available but with routes reduced availability is getting tight, with low deposits and the ability to amend free of charge.
Information is constantly changing from day to day so if you are concerned about a booking, wondering if you should be travelling, just pick up the phone or email for more information. As your local travel agent, we are here to help.