Coronavirus

[bobley]

Just to confirm that it's dead easy to get here. The health control at Palma took a minute and yet again, we were out of the airport in 15 minutes.

We popped into Dr Mallorca for our return tests (€30) at lunch and our Boots day2 tests (£70) are at home awaiting our return. 2 lots of return flights booked only 2 weeks ago for £153 so it's still a bargain to be here. The taxi was the most expensive part!

 

[Francesca]

Coronavirus flights cancelled

Great to hear it's easy enough now to find way round all the red tape imposed on travelling.Unfortunately jet 2 have now started cancelling a number of flights. This I found out by accident ...Jet 2 have not informed us that they have cancelled our flight. We were due out in September and it is the return flight which has been affected. Would have been nice to have been notified.

 

[fil6699]

While not disputing that there are some rogue test providers, I always believe that most people are honest and try to do the right thing. There are always some who break laws/rules but they are thankfully in the minority.

The person to whom you refer has committed fraud and risks prosecution and a possible prison sentence. It is not worth the risk as it would be very easy to prove and convict if the authorities decided to check..

I agree with you 100 percent the point i was trying to make is that the system is fundamentally flawed .|I was not condoning any actions.I believe all PCR test for flying should be conducted by health professionals.

 

[Hamcas]

Advice Please

We are coming to PP next month but what do we need to travel.
Passports, vaccination passports (paper type), passenger location forms (both for entry into Spain and coming back home), what tests do I need to take, how to book them.
We are in our 60's so are both fully jabbed.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Carol]

If you read back through this thread there are answers to your questions about tests but the main source of information is on the U.K. Govt website which states all requirements needed for entry to Spain and to the U.K. Just to remember Grant Schapps is making statement about traffic light travel system this week - usually Wednesday evening or sometime Thursday.

 

[CharlieV]

Great to hear it's easy enough now to find way round all the red tape imposed on travelling.Unfortunately jet 2 have now started cancelling a number of flights. This I found out by accident ...Jet 2 have not informed us that they have cancelled our flight. We were due out in September and it is the return flight which has been affected. Would have been nice to have been notified.

This is concerning Francesca. We're supposed to be out 2nd to 16th Sept...are they wanting to move you to a different flight time or just cancelling it altogether ?

 

[Francesca]

Unfortunately the flight has been cancelled.According to posts on Trip Advisor....'jet2 flight changes and cancellations'etc a number of flights have been withdrawn and its proving very difficult to get through to Jet 2 for clarity. No doubt they are inundated with calls. I only found out from checking their flights that mine had been withdrawn....then checked 'manage my booking' Which confirmed this.

 

[bobley]

Most of our flights last year were cancelled by easyjet and I found out before they informed me. It meant we had to move our start/finish dates a little but we didn't mind. We didn't have a hire car so we just adjusted the taxi booking.

Meanwhile, last night at Palma was a joy. Taxi to the door (mr Conde asks what airline and drops you at the door nearest their desk!). Straight upstairs to security (usual chuckle at what people forgot to remove from their hand luggage, I swear the Spanish staff find it funny, the look on their faces), then thru duty free, fill up my water bottle at the fountain (there are now at least 3 water fountains on the way to terminal A, one just on the left before passport, one at the toilets behind AirFoodOne and another in the far left by the toilets at gate 10.

They check a lot more papers now. UK Passenger locator, Fit to Fly, UK NHS Vaccine cert... and then passport/boarding pass. This means the queue is very slow to move so the trick is to stay sat down until the queue is short.

Flight back was fine and upon arrival we were up and thru Luton in about 10 minutes. We walked to the car and just waited for our pals who took 10 more mins to get luggage.

3 of us are coming back in November for a week. Flights are £135 (for 3!)

 

[clinkham]

Hi Mr Bobley: Do you have Mr Condes phone number? I'm guessing this is the real Mr Conde?? (Taxi to the door (mr Conde asks what airline...)
Do you reckon there would be room for a collapsed wheelchair in his taxi?

Haven't people started asking strange questions following during the epidemic?

Good to hear about your trouble free flight.

 

[bobley]

Best way to book Mr Conde is on his website. His smallest car is a Merc E Class estate. We travelled in a Merc Executive minivan recently but in previous years when we brought friends and bikes he uses an Iveco minibus. I'm sure a wheelchair would go in his E class.

His website is at https://taxisconde.com/ . Once you've booked he'll msg you on whatsapp from the number on his website (+34 658752691). You can mention your requirements then (or put them in the comments box)

Mr Conde (Jose to his friends) is the real deal. 30 years in the business. We had a lovely chat yesterday. Not all his drivers are so fluent but you always muddle through.

You only pay when you arrive at your destination.

 

[CharlieV]

Covid test before flight to Mallorca

Hi there. Can anyone help please, I'm so confused about the pre departure covid test. Me and hubby are double jabbed but our daughter is only single jabbed so needs to take a test before we fly. We arrive on 2nd Sept, when should I order the test and when should she take it ? Also, which type of test is accepted by the Spanish officials ?
Any recommendations for test providers?

 

[bobley]

Oh yeah (I know this is the wrong topic but) the electronic passport gates are working again! Slick!

I dont mind answering folks random questions. Many folks are afraid of travelling just now but they needn't be. Just as easy as ever (bar those forms you need to fill in and checking your health/travel insurance). The Pollencins are very keen to see you out there!

 

[bobley]

Hi there. Can anyone help please, I'm so confused about the pre departure covid test. Me and hubby are double jabbed but our daughter is only single jabbed so needs to take a test before we fly. We arrive on 2nd Sept, when should I order the test and when should she take it ? Also, which type of test is accepted by the Spanish officials ?
Any recommendations for test providers?

Here you go ....

https://www.spth.gob.es/info-pcr

Basically needs to be documented but can be either sort (although time varies for different tests).

You could do a rapid 45 minute linear flow at the airport?

We've used Collinson at the terminal (on return) and they were great

https://www.collinsongroup.com/en/covid-19-testing

You should google any test provider and read their (Trustpilot?) reviews before throwing your money at them.

 

[CharlieV]

Thanks for the info. I considered Collinson but unfortunately we are due to fly at 6am and they don't open until 7am, so I need to get my daughters test done before we go.
I'm worried the results won't come back in time..does anyone know of any quick turnaround options....we fly next Thursday 2nd Sept.

 

[MalcolmS]

I'm sure I heard on the Scottish news tonight that from September we will no longer be restricted to buying our day 2 return PCR test from CTM and will be free to buy from a selection of 40+ providers. I can't find the details in the online news sites but if true that should further reduce the testing costs for us returning to Scotland.

 

[Del_RFC]

I'm sure I heard on the Scottish news tonight that from September we will no longer be restricted to buying our day 2 return PCR test from CTM and will be free to buy from a selection of 40+ providers. I can't find the details in the online news sites but if true that should further reduce the testing costs for us returning to Scotland.

This is correct. We are no longer tied in to pay the £68 per test.

Nice timing as we fly out next week.

https://www.gov.scot/news/internati...ll-be-able-to-use-private-sector-covid-tests/

 

[MalcolmS]

Mask wearing

Talking to friends in Madrid recently and others who had recently returned from PP they all said mask wearing was still pretty universal both outdoors and in public spaces indoors. Whilst we wore our masks continually from when we left our house to our return our experience in Pollensa today was that we were pretty much in the minority. I would estimate only 10-20% were wearing masks even through the market where a 1.5m social distance was next to impossible. I would say though that all the local stallholders, shop keepers and restuarant staff wore theirs 100%

 

[Disorderly]

Mask wearing

Talking to friends in Madrid recently and others who had recently returned from PP they all said mask wearing was still pretty universal both outdoors and in public spaces indoors. Whilst we wore our masks continually from when we left our house to our return our experience in Pollensa today was that we were pretty much in the minority. I would estimate only 10-20% were wearing masks even through the market where a 1.5m social distance was next to impossible. I would say though that all the local stallholders, shop keppers and restuarant staff wore theirs 100%

When we came out in June masks were obligatory everywhere outdoors, other than the beach. It’s great to be able to walk around mask free, but it does seem sensible in busy places (markets and narrow streets) to continue to wear masks. I hate it…..but it so makes sense. We can only stay safe from this virus by being collectively sensible. A pity that many people cannot see this.

 

[debz1]

We drove down through France to PP last week and everyone wore masks indoors and I’d say 70% outdoors. You also had to show proof of double vacc in most restaurants and bars. It felt very safe as it does in the main in PP. Cannot understand the Uk govts approach to mask wearing saying they advise people to wear them in shops, trains etc, and trust that people will ‘do the right thing’ Not where I live they’re not!

 

[MalcolmS]

A sign of the times?

We return home on Saturday and having planned to spend the day in Palma had booked our Covid test for a Test & Fly certificate in the centre of Palma itself. However they have just phoned me to cancel the appointment as they are no longer open on Saturdays.

With the requirements for Test & Fly certificates lessening I guess the number of places providing these may diminish?