I thought I would start a thread to give a guide for anyone travelling abroad during Covid for emergencies. To share the process if it helps anyone. Headaches, tips etc. I have had a bit of a nightmare so far. Information is all over the place on the internet. So hopefully this can give some sort of a guideline/template on what to do.
Any input is welcome. I will try and update.
Unfortunately my fathers health is declining rapidly (non covid) and its looking like he will be passing away before I get there. I need to head to London, UK asap.
So far this has been the process. The UK government site has been a bit of a nightmare in figuring out tests and stuff.
1. I booked a oneway ticket. There are no direct flights from Calgary. Transit via Toronto. Price was about $330. When it came to paying it was $660. The difference was carrier surcharges.
2. Booked a covid test Sunday. Booked for Monday morning at Dyna Life labs. This has to be done within 72 hours of flying.
I recommend booking and checking ahead as it looks like they have lots of locations and availability but it i misleading. I ended up booking first thing at the NE location on Monday. The process was quick and easy. No complaints.
https://www.dynalife.ca/travel
This cost $150. I got my result this afternoon(Tuesday) via text and email.
3. A covid test kit has to be booked when arriving in London. The UK gov website does not tell where. You have to book this ahead of time before you fly.
I found where to do it. Booking can be done via the Heathrow Airport website:
https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airp...andatory-tests
Its $210 UK pounds sterling. Thats about $370 Canadian. You have to isolate for 10 days. The kit is delivered to the place you are staying at. Two tests must be taken. These are in the pack.
Make sure you enter the corrrect flight number. I accidentally entered the transit flight from Calgary. I sent a correction email. So will see what happens when I get to London.
4. Then a passenger locator form needs to completed. This has to be done within 48 hours of flying. Not before.
https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-c...fore-travel-uk
Again this asks for the flight number, phone number, address staying etc.
New update:
5. Upon Arrival at Heathrow, you documents will be checked. Your covid test packs will arrive by mail at your quarantine location. The day you land is DAY 0. Tests need to be done on Day 2 and 8. You mail them for free. Only spefic mailboxes. These can be found online (Royal Mail website)
Beware. You will need to input the test pack info online (codes, names, date of birth etc). I recommend opening the pack and reading the info ahead of time.
I also got called twice to check I was quarantining.
Returning to Calgary from London UK.
There are no direct flights to Calgary.
1. Coming via Toronto was $380 on AirCanada. My sister did this a few weeks before. She stopped in Toronto. She did her hotel quarantine ($1200). Then got the four hour flight back to Calgary two days after.
I did not choose this option as quarantine has to be done on port of entry. I wanted to do mine in Calgary.
I paid extra to go via KLM to get to Calgary the same day. I would say it was worth it as I was exhausted. This was about £625/$1100 one way.
2. The PCR test. I did the one listed on the Heathrow airport website. I recommend that. This was £90 UK. This was easy to find and it was a drive through. My sister did a different company (a few weeks before )and it was not drivethrough. It was also a pain to find. So do the one on the heathrow airport website.
3. Book your hotel before you fly and you have to book government rates which are a lot higher. I booked at Acclaim Hotel. I booked the wrong rate and my price went from $600 to $900. I got a different room(Smaller). I will explain more later.
If you cant print your reservation. Take screenshots on your phone.
4. Sign up to ArriveCan on your smart phone.
5. The flight. The stopover in Amsterdam was for three hours. Then 8 hour flight into Calgary. The flight was about 30-40% full. The food on the flight was actually very tasty, but they did not give you much. I was super hungry. Buy extra food at the airport or bring extra with you.
6. Upon arrival in Calgary. I think you have to download the AB trace app (i cant remember). I got taken to a seating area to signup.
7. You get covid tested at the airport. You are given a requisition for your second covid test on Day 10. Heads up. Day on Landing in Canada is DAY 1 (in London its Day 0).
Other provinces state you have to have a 2nd covid test on Day 8 and you are given a covid test pack. In Alberta this is not the case. Different rules. You do a covid test on day 10 (ALBERTA) and this is done at Shoppers You have to call to book your appointment. This also has to be reported on the app. But the app asks you on day 8 and does not account for Albertans. So I reported it on day 10 as per Alberta rules. I got called twice by the government at home to ask where I was etc. I was asked how do I get fresh air to which I replied, I just open the patio door/window at home.
8. The Hotel. I was at Acclaim for two days. A shuttle bus will come to collect you. The room was small but adequate, no microwave. No bathtub. Just a shower. It might not seem like a big issue. But after a long flight, sometimes you just want a nice long bath.
Bring toothpaste if you can. The mini hotel pack were barely adequate for a single person. For a family, you will need more.
Order extra coffee/cream. Night person does not have access to extra.
Warning, the windows do not open in the hotel. So when you put the aircon on, it can be dusty.
The food was adequate. You get a menu and choices. You tell the restaurant what you like and it gets delivered to your door.
My covid test came back on day 2 in the late afternoon. I got refunded for the third day. Three days was $900. But I left after two days($640) after getting my negative Covid result. ($46 cab ride home). Rest of the quarantine was done in my home.
Overall, no real complaints of the hotel (other than the very high prices). Staff were helpful and friendly.
Not to start a argument but more of a observation. I preferred the UK process it was straightforward. From the airport I went right home.
The Canadian was process was long and bureaucratic. Then I was in contact with at least 12 people leaving customs, through to the Hotel.
If one does the quarantine at the port of entry (i.e Toronto) and are in the clear. Then one can still get covid from a local traveller on the second domestic flight back to Calgary. No tests are needed for domestic flights. To put into perspective. My sister left the UK a few weeks before I did. She did her pre-flight covid tests, covid test at the aiport and hotel quarantine. She was in the clear. When she got back to Calgary, she got covid. Not through the flight, but through family.
The variants are out of control in Alberta. I do know from government sources, these spread from out from BC overland. Then east to Alberta.
I don't know what the answer is. But I think this process needs better scrutiny.
Some may have gathered from my other posts the forum. Dad died two weeks after we arrived. He had a massive cardiac arrest, fell into a coma and did not recover. We could not see him due to covid restrictions at the hospital. Thankyou for all those on this forum for your kind words and support.
For whatever reason you have to travel. Goodluck, I hope this helps anyone to structure on what they have to do.