Remember: Having Global Entry membership doesn’t take the place of a United States ESTA
Thanks to the continuing enlargement of the Global Entry program and the US Visa Waiver Program, more people than ever before can now enter the United States relatively easily and without having to stand in the seemingly endless lines that some of our international airports have long been known for (I’m looking at you Miami).
This flight delay from American Airlines was extra annoying
In the past few days, I’ve been reviewing a series of flights that I recently took and some of the lounges that I visited, and in a couple of reviews I touched upon the fact that my flight from Dallas/Ft. Worth to Palm Springs was delayed.
What I haven’t mentioned so far is that one aspect of the delay was especially annoying.
The European Union will reintroduce the 100ml carry-on liquid restriction (I don’t understand this)
Following the introduction of ultra-modern scanners at various airports across the EU and the UK, the past 12 months saw the archaic liquid restrictions on the volume of liquid passengers could analyse liquids in vessels of up to 2 litres and that the were so sophisticated, most regular sized liquid-containing vessels could remain inside a passenger's carry-on bags.
Things were looking good ... until they weren't.
Why does my iPhone lie to me? (a genuine question)
How were the pyramids built so accurately? Did the city of Atlantis really ever exist? Are we alone in the universe? Who killed JFK? Why do intelligent people watch 'reality' TV? These are just some of the great mysteries that have puzzled scholars, scientists, and academics for years, but they all pale into insignificance compared to the biggest mystery that faces me.
The Global Entry app can make international arrivals feel like a domestic arrival (almost!)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) unveiled a new app in September of last year that, we were told, is designed to 'enhance security while further improving the travel experience for CBP’s trusted travelers'. Recently, I finally remembered to give the app a try and discovered that it made my arrival into LAX on an international flight feel as close to a domestic arrival as I think it will ever get.
UK now won’t lift airport liquids restrictions until 2025
By June of this this year, all the UK's major airports were meant to have new scanners which would have meant the end on the liquid restrictions that have been in place since 2006 (yes, we've been putting up with this nonsense for nearly 2 decades). That deadline is now in tatters.
Two small things that airlines do that I really wish they didn’t
For most people, truly bad experiences with airlines are not a common occurrence, and so while an airline stranding us somewhere overnight, losing our baggage for days, or cancelling our flight at the last moment, are all examples of highly stressful situations, these aren’t the things that annoy me most.
Ok … so this was new!
If you fly with any kind of frequency, you’ll eventually encounter most situations that you’ll read about in the frequent flyer forums online. Missed connections, unplanned overnight layovers, aborted landings, violent turbulence (keep your seat belts fastened!) and storms closing airports are just some of the things that you’ll probably experience at some point during your travels.
Keep your seat belt fastened (even when the fasten seat belt light is out)
In the wake of the recent serious incident on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 where a deactivated exit door blew out leaving behind a gaping hole in the fuselage and a cabin that depresuried in seconds, this is a quick reminder that it's almost always a good idea to keep your seat belt fastened, even when the fasten seat belt light is out.
Another reason you should have a VPN when you travel
Safety and security are always the key reasons given when people talk about why it's a good idea to have and use a VPN when traveling but while that's clearly the correct thing to focus on, there's also another reason why it's a good idea to have access to a VPN when you're abroad.
The Elizabeth Line: A review of the new direct service from Heathrow to central...
Part of the Elizabeth Line (formerly known as Crossrail) has been open for a few months but it was only yesterday that passengers traveling from Heathrow into the heart of London were able to do so without the need for a change of trains. As I happened to be at Heathrow anyway, I decided to take a look at the new service to see what it has to offer.
How my iPad “went missing” at Heathrow security
Recently, I was catching an early flight out of London Heathrow, and because I got to terminal 5 before the security lane at the First Wing opened, I decided to use the priority security lane at the north end of the terminal rather than waiting for the First Wing line to open. In hindsight, that was a poor decision.
My first-world lounge problem when traveling as a family
I'm flying over to London at the end of this week to catch up with some friends and to attend the unveiling of Virgin Atlantic's new Business Class seat for its A330 aircraft. On my outbound journey, I'm traveling alone but when I return home, I'll be accompanied by four other members of my family and this has thrown up a very first-world problem for me.
This is why you shouldn’t use PayPal’s currency conversion (a quick reminder)
I like PayPal. I make a substantial number of transactions with non-US entities and PayPal often makes my life easier. There is, however, one aspect of PayPal that I avoid at all costs - the currency conversion system - and I strongly advise everyone else to avoid it too.
Singapore makes it a lot easier for vaccinated travelers to visit
Singapore has announced that it is making significant changes to its COVID-19 travel rules and that following a review of procedures, it will be discontinuing the use of Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) as well as removing the need for vaccinated visitors to take an on-arrival test.
UK drops last travel restrictions + British Airways & Virgin Atlantic drop mask requirements
While guidance has remained in place in some areas, the UK population has been free of domestic Covid restrictions for almost a month and despite a sign that hospitalisations due to Covid may be on the rise, the UK government has announced that all remaining travel restrictions are being lifted and the UK's two long-haul carriers have announced an end to mask-wearing onboard.
If you thought international travel was rebounding quickly, you may need to think again
With numerous nations now having done away with a lot of their day-to-day Covid rules and with more and more nations relaxing or discontinuing their travel restrictions, you could be forgiven for believing that everyone who has been missing international travel over the past two years is now booking trips like crazy. Apparently, however, that may not be the case.
Don’t assume that you know a hotel’s award cancellation window
One of the often-mentioned major benefits of making a hotel booking with points is that points bookings are usually considerably more flexible than the cheaper cash rates on offer. Where a discounted cash rate is often non-refundable once booked, a points booking is usually considered to be cancelable, without penalty, until a few days before arrival. This, however, is not always the case so it pays to read the small print carefully before you make an award booking.
My approach to international travel right now
More and more counties are now reopening their borders to vaccinated international travelers so with more options of places to visit than at any other point in the past two years, you could be forgiven for thinking that I'm busy booking trips to all corners of the world to make up for lost time. That, however, isn't the case.
Australia announces reopening date for vaccinated visitors
Just a few weeks ago, the Australian government indicated that it was using Easter as a target reopening date for vaccinated visitors so it's both surprising and gratifying to suddenly be told that the country will open up considerably earlier. Now, instead of aiming to reopen at some point in April, Australia says that it will welcome vaccinated visitors in just two weeks' time.
Time for more countries to excuse the vaccinated from all travel testing measures
A couple of days ago, the UK announced that travelers who have been fully vaccinated will no longer have to take pre-departure tests and will not be subject to post-arrival testing either and this has already kick-started a small but significant resurgence in travel bookings which is welcome news to the beleaguered industry. Now it’s time for the news to get even better and for more countries to follow suit.
How American Airlines nearly ruined my trip home before it had even started
Right now, I'm back home in LA and in the middle of a tier point run that I didn't really want to do, but it's only thanks to a stroke of good fortune that I actually got home on my planned date. Thanks to a rather incredible screw-up by American Airlines, my whole trip was nearly cancelled before I had a chance to board a single flight.
The tier point run I really didn’t want to do
Back in March, the news that the vaccine rollouts were gathering pace led to a moment of over-optimism on my part that resulted in me booking a multi-segment tier point run to get me back to LA for the upcoming holidays. The booking seemed like a good idea at the time, but with events unfolding as they have, the tier point run turned into a trip that I really didn't want to take.
The UK was correct in how it handled the ban on travel from Southern...
The United Kingdom was just one of the many nations that moved to ban travel from Southern Africa when the Omicron variant first came to light and it took a lot of criticism for doing so. Yesterday, those travel bans were lifted, and despite being a staunch critic of the UK administration I have to admit that on this occasion, they got things right.
The United States toughens up testing rules for international travel
As has been rumored for a few days, the United States government has today announced a number of measures that it says are aimed at protecting Americans from the Delta and Omicron Covid variants this winter. Among the proposals are a tightening up of the testing requirements for all travelers entering the United States from abroad.
Reality check: Governments had no option but to ban travel from Southern Africa
We've seen a lot of complaints, anger, and outrage (faux and otherwise) coming from various quarters following the recent decision taken by a significant number of nations to ban travel from southern Africa, but a lot of it seems to be coming from people missing a few key points about how the world works and what the bans are actually about.
The ridiculousness of the US travel bans has never been more obvious
Since the very beginning of this mess, I've been a supporter of most of the measures that we've seen put in place to try to keep people safe and to keep the death rates as low as possible and I, like most people, have done my bit to adhere to whatever rules have been set down. What I've never supported, however, is the belief that the US government's approach to the pandemic has always been based on science. It hasn't.
Flying to England? Here are two ‘Day 2’ tests that won’t break the bank
I've been flying in and out of England reasonably frequently in the past 12 months so I have first-hand experience of how painful the cost of all the Covid tests needed to get into the country has sometimes felt. Now, however, things are a lot better, and with fully vaccinated travelers now only required to take a 'Day 2' test upon arrival, I thought that I'd take a quick look at two UK testing providers with whom I've had good experiences.
Heathrow Airport is now charging a drop-off fee (How to pay & How to...
In what can only be described as a pathetic nickel & dime move, Heathrow Airport has finally started to charge the £5/$6.85 drop-off fee that it has been threatening to introduce for well over a year. This post takes a look at who has to pay the fee, how the fee can be paid, and how travelers arriving at Heathrow by car can avoid paying the fee.
Could the United States ban travel from the UK again?
On 8 November, the United States is reopening its borders to travelers originating in the Schengen Area, China, India, Ireland, Iran, Brazil, South Africa, and, of course, the United Kingdom, and while this is certainly a move to be welcomed, anyone taking this as a sign that US travel bans are a thing of the past could be being a little optimistic.
Official: US ends travel bans (Testing requirements & vaccine exemptions announced)
Earlier this month, we were told that the United States would reopen its borders to fully vaccinated travelers from regions, countries, and states from where travel has been banned since the early months of the pandemic. Unsurprisingly, this news was greeted with a great deal of jubilation in various corners of the world but until now, we've had no firm idea what the opening would look like, what the specific requirements for travel would be and what exemptions would be permitted. Now we know.
Uh-Oh! An outlier? An overreaction? Or a sign of things to come?
COVID-19 infection rates in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands, are now rising and in the UK's case, reaching levels not seen since January. And while the death rates in these countries aren't anywhere near the highs of last year (because the vaccines, for the most part, are doing their job), this isn't stopping some countries getting spooked at the way some infection rates are trending.
Has Global Entry dropped an unpublished benefit or was LAX an outlier?
I have to admit that I'm not usually in a particularly observant mood when I get off a transatlantic flight in the United States (I've usually used up all my observational powers during the flight while writing notes for a flight review) so I'm not sure if a Global Entry benefit that no longer appears to be offered at LAX was a benefit that was just specific to LAX or if it was (and possibly still is) available elsewhere. Whichever it is, if you have Global Entry and are arriving at the Tom Bradley Terminal at LAX, your path to the big wide world just got a little more congested.
The UK Overhauls Its Entry & Testing Rules – Bad News For The Unvaccinated
The British transport secretary Grant Shapps (who somehow survived this week's cabinet reshuffle) has announced that England's quarantine rules, the rules surrounding the COVID tests that passengers are expected to take before embarking on their trip (to England), and the tests passengers are expected to take following their arrival in England, will be changing from next month. It's bad news for the unvaccinated.
Am I Booking Long-Haul International Travel Right Now?
I get asked a wide variety of travel-related questions every day but the one question that I'm getting asked more than any other right now surrounds my plans for future international travel. A lot of people seem to be happy to travel domestically but most also seem to be reluctant to travel long-haul and, frankly, it's not hard to see why.
This Is Why I Don’t Like Booking Flights Through OTAs
A few months ago, when JetBlue was offering some excellent Business Class fares on its new New York - London routes, I went against a long-term policy of mine and booked a trip through an online travel agency. Specifically, I booked through Amex Travel and while I wouldn't say that my experience has put me off booking with an OTA ever again, it has reminded me why I have a policy of avoiding OTAs whenever possible.
It’s Vitally Important For Europe To Ban US Travelers (Apparently)
If the headline for this article upsets, annoys or angers you, please don’t bother complaining to me. I’m just the messenger. The sentiment expressed in the headline is based entirely on the signals being sent out by the United States government.
Dear White House, Get On With It Or Tell The Truth.
The US administration has a problem. It has been telling everyone who is prepared to listen that its Covid policies are driven "by the science" but it now finds itself in a position where that's patently untrue. There is absolutely nothing scientific about the current ban on travelers arriving from the UK, Ireland, or the Schengen Area but instead of addressing that situation, the administration appears to have decided to stick its head in the sand and do nothing about it.
We Left England Just In Time – The Government Advice Continues To Be Ridiculous
As of Monday, 19 July, most Covid-related rules governing behavior in homes and in public in England have been lifted so that life, such as it is, can get back to some kind of normality. Or at least that's what the public has been told. Unfortunately, because the UK government is led by people who would struggle to run a lemonade stand, life, for a lot of England's residents, is currently far from normal and, sadly, it's only going to get worse.
Does Anyone Else Dread Flying On Short-Haul Leisure Routes?
I try my very best not to fly with low-cost carriers. I have no issue with the fact that they charge you extra for the air onboard, the fact you often have to walk the distance of a marathon course across a searing hot airfield to get to the aircraft or the fact that they frequently land nowhere near the city you thought you were heading for. That’s all part of their business model and I accept that.
US CBP Is Now Giving 2 Years Grace For Global Entry Renewals
The pandemic has brought chaos to a whole variety of things in the travel world and the Global Entry program has not escaped unscathed. Fortunately, over the past 18 months, the US CBP has been reasonably swift to take action to try to alleviate the issues caused by the seemingly ever-increasing backlog of applications, and now, with the backlog not really getting noticeably smaller, it has extended the Global Entry grace period to two full years.
NEWS: No More Quarantine For Vaccinated UK Residents Returning From Amber List Countries
The UK's Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has just addressed Parliament to confirm that fully vaccinated UK citizens/residents arriving into England from "amber list" countries will no longer have to self-isolate upon their return to England. The devolved nations will be reviewing their rules separately and may or may not follow England's lead.
How I Helped Friends Negotiate The US Entry Restrictions & Get To Los Angeles...
Despite the success of our vaccination program and the fact that most European countries are now welcoming visitors from the United States, the US government shows no signs of lifting the restrictions that it has in place for non-residents/non-citizens wishing to travel to the United States from the UK, Ireland, and all the countries signed up to the Schengen agreement.
UK Airlines Trial Fast-Track Arrivals For Vaccinated Passengers
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Heathrow are this week, launching a trial to prove it’s possible to quickly and easily identify and verify fully vaccinated passengers arriving in the UK as the travel industry seeks to persuade the government to relax entry restrictions for low-risk travelers.
Is There A Point To England’s Test & Trace (For Travelers) Program?
I've traveled in and out of England a number of times in the past few months and each time I've entered the country I've been contacted by England's NHS Test & Trace team who want to check that I'm self-isolating as required. I have no problem with this, but having now had quite a bit of experience with the Test & Trace team, I can't help but wonder if there's any point to the operation.
The US & UK Are Damaging Their Vaccination Projects With Their Stance On Travel...
I've been a strong supporter of most of the stronger measures that both the US and UK governments have used during the coronavirus pandemic, but we've now reached a point where both governments are sending out dangerously mixed signals that are playing into the hands of the more ignorant members of our societies.
Is This A New Level Of Idiocy From The UK Government?
At various times, in the past 18 months, the UK has seen shortages of one thing or another but one thing that has never been in short supply is stupidity at the very highest levels of government. After month after month of mistakes, lies, poorly executed plans, and half-baked ideas, I thought that the government had finally reached a level where it was no longer able to surprise me with its idiocy. Sadly, I may have been wrong.
No. Americans Visiting The UK Don’t “Have To Quarantine For 10 Days”
As we finally get to a point where governments on both sides of the Atlantic start to openly acknowledge that we have to find a way to open up travel across The Pond, I keep seeing media outlets (and a well-known credit card site that poses as a media outlet) making the statement that US travelers visiting the UK currently "have to quarantine for 10 days" upon arrival. As a statement of fact, that's incorrect and it's a great example of lazy journalism.
Planning An International Trip? Make Sure You Know What “Fully Vaccinated” Means
Although governments around the world are still struggling to come together to agree on a way forward for a COVID passport (or something akin to a COVID passport), more and more countries are saying that they will accept "fully vaccinated" visitors from later this year. On the one hand that sounds promising but, on the other hand, it could spell problems for travelers who don't read the small print.
Has British Airways Got The Key To Unlock The Travel World
If you're one of the lucky ones who has been able to travel internationally in recent months you'll know all about the circus that can surround pre-departure Covid-19 tests, and if you're reading this while waiting for your chance to finally get back to exploring the world you should know that it's a circus that you'll soon have to deal with too.
Some Global Entry renewals are processing without interviews
Whether you're applying for access to the US Global Entry program for the first time or if you're renewing your membership, you're usually required to attend an interview at a Global Entry processing center (usually an airport or an embassy) before your membership is approved or renewed. Right now, however, some memberships are being renewed without the need for an interview.
Enough Is Enough. Maintaining A UK Travel Ban Into The Summer Is Unacceptable
I've spent the past year supporting every measure that scientists have said are needed to help us beat back the coronavirus, and I've adhered to all the conditions imposed during three full lockdowns here in the UK, but some of the new messaging that came out of the UK over the weekend goes too far. Worse still, it's messaging that could cause a good-deal of harm.
Amex Carried Out A Travel Survey & These Are Some Of The Results
Between 15 and 24 January 2021, American Express ran a series of polls across various countries to see how people were feeling about travel this year, travel in the future, and their feelings on travel in general. There isn't anything hugely surprising in the results (although I'm not sure I understand the logic of paying more for your next trip just because you didn't take one in 2020) but as people seem to love a survey, I thought I'd post the results that Amex has made public.
Dreaming Of Travel: Budapest – A City In Pictures (And A Few Words)
I don't usually write about the many places I'm fortunate enough to visit because destination reviews aren't really my forte and there are just too many tastes to cater to. However, as most of us still can't travel internationally and as it's nice to be able to dream of visiting great places (and briefly forget about what's going on around us), I thought I'd resurrect some pictures of a trip I took to Budapest and shine a light on a city that really surprised me.
I'm not about to write an in-depth review of my visit to the Hungarian capital (I can't imagine that being interesting to most readers) but I thought I'd share a few images from my trip to a city that really surprised me.
500,000 Dead – Time To Call Out The Covidiots
As the United States passes the tragic mark of half a million deaths as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, it's important to make sure that we learn as many lessons as possible from the past 12 months. Governments and scientists will have their own lessons to learn but for everyone else, one of the key things to remember will be just how many know-nothing idiots were telling us that Covid-19 is "just another bad flu".
The UK Reveals Full Details Of Hotel Quarantine
On Monday 15 February, the UK government is introducing a 10-day supervised quarantine for travelers arriving into England from countries the government has put on its travel "red list". Details of the quarantine rules and procedures have been drip-fed to the public over a period of weeks but with the new rules set to come into effect in under 4 days' time, full details have now been published.
Amusing: UK Government Quarantine Portal Went Down In Minutes
Today is the day that the UK Government was due to release all the remaining details of its mandatory supervised quarantine program, and today was supposed to be the day that travelers would be able to book their quarantine hotel accommodation and the PCR tests that they'll need to take while in quarantine. Unsurprisingly, things haven't gone according to plan.
UK Announces £1,750/Person Government-Supervised Quarantine Plans
The UK's Health Minister Matt Hancock has finally announced further details of the government's supervised quarantine scheme that is set to come into force from 15 February, as well as revealing plans for fines and potential prison sentences for anyone evading the new restrictions.
Is The UK Government About To Make Another Big Error With Quarantine Rules?
Over the weekend, reports emerged in the UK press suggesting that the British government is considering making changes to its quarantine rules for travelers arriving from countries that are not on the UK's "red list". Assuming the reports are accurate (they probably are), there's an excellent chance that the government is about to add to its ever-lengthening list of pandemic mistakes.
UK Government-Supervised Quarantine Is Coming On 15 February (It’s A Mess)
The UK government has finally confirmed that it will be introducing its long-awaited supervised quarantine from 15 February. With just ten days to go to the implementation of this plan, you'd be forgiven for thinking that most of the details had been agreed and that the government was now just working through the finer points that need to be ironed out. Sadly and unsurprisingly, that's not the case.
The UK Has Now Banned Travel From The UAE (Bad Luck “Influencers”!)
Over the past couple of weeks, and as it battles to try to get its coronavirus infection rates under control, the UK has been announcing new restrictions on international travel. Pre-departure testing rules for all international travelers have been introduced, all travel corridors have been suspended, travel from an entire continent has been banned and government-supervised quarantine measures have been announced. Now, as new variants of COVID-19 continue to raise fears, one of the world's current busiest air routes has been shut down.
The UK Will Introduce Mandatory Hotel Quarantine Rules
For the past few days, there have been rumors going around that the UK government was considering implementing Australia-style mandatory hotel quarantine measures on international travelers as the country tries to stop the inflow of new variants of the coronavirus. Today, the UK's Prime Minister and Home Secretary both confirmed that such measures are on their way.
The United States Travel Bans Are Back & South Africa Has Been Added
Exactly a week ago, people living in Europe were given a glimpse of hope that they would soon be allowed to travel to the United States when Reuters announced that on the order of outgoing President Donald Trump, the United States would be lifting the restrictions that have banned most travelers from Europe, the UK, and Brazil from entering the country since March. Just hours later, the incoming administration put those hopes on hold.
Israel Effectively Bans International Air Travel For The Rest Of January
Israel may currently lead the world in terms of the percentage of the population that have been given their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine but the country has also seen a significant surge in new coronavirus cases in recent weeks and, with fears growing that a new and potentially more deadly variant of the virus is being imported into the country, Israel's government has taken action.
The United States May Introduce Quarantine For International Travelers (It Hasn’t Yet)
President Biden issued a series of executive orders yesterday as he starts to implement his administration's agenda and, unsurprisingly, one of the key focus areas for the new administration is the current pandemic and the spread of COVID-19.
Yesterday, I Received A Simple But Sharp Reminder Of How Real This Pandemic Is
So far, I've been very fortunate. None of the people that I care about most has contracted COVID-19, no one I know has died, and no one I know has become dangerously ill. Yes, just like for millions of other people, the pandemic has affected my life negatively in numerous other ways (some worse than others), but when it comes down to the ultimate price this pandemic can extract, I've been spared.
Trump Orders Removal Of Select US Travel Bans But Biden Will Rescind That Order
Yesterday evening Reuters announced that on the order of outgoing President Donald Trump, the United States would be lifting the restrictions that have banned most travelers from Europe, the UK, and Brazil from entering the country since March. Swiftly, however, the incoming administration made it very clear that these bans would be staying in place.
Big News: The UK Is Closing All Travel Corridors On Monday
The UK is due to impose pre-departure COVID testing rules for all international arrivals from Monday and, this morning, it banned most travel to/from South America, Panama, and Portugal. Just now, however, the UK government has gone a step further and announced that all its travel corridors are being closed from 04:00 on Monday.
Wow. The UK Just Banned Travel From An Entire Continent
Thursday is the day on which we've come to expect the UK government to tell us which countries it's adding to its travel corridor list and which it's removing and, on the whole, we don't usually see too many big surprises when the announcements are made. Yesterday, however, was no ordinary Thursday.
England Will Give A Quarantine Exemption To Select Business Travelers & Professions
England has been imposing 14-day quarantines on travelers arriving from most parts of the world since the middle of the summer but, from 16 December, that quarantine is period set to be reduced to just five days for travelers who test negative for Covid-19 on day five. Now the government is going a step further by offering a full exemption from quarantine for select business travelers and select professions.
Taking A COVID Test At The Sofitel Heathrow T5
Recently, I took a trip back home to Los Angeles, and in the spirit of being a good traveler, I decided to take a Covid test before I flew out just to check that I wasn't asymptomatic and at risk of infecting all around me. With the Sofitel Heathrow T5 being very convenient and now offering Covid tests bundled with a room rate ("test and rest"), that's where I chose to take the test.
2021 Is Unlikely To Be An Exciting Travel Year For Me (But That’s Ok)
Some links to products and travel providers on this website will earn Traveling For Miles a commission that helps contribute to the running of...
Breaking: First Coronavirus Vaccine Appears To Be 90% Effective
In news that's only just breaking, biotech developers Pfizer and BioNTech say that they have developed a coronavirus vaccine that was found to be more than 90% effective in preventing Covid-19 in research participants.
We’re About To Get Locked Down For The Second Time
Today and tomorrow (and possibly for a few days after tomorrow), a large part of the world will be concentrating on events going on back home in the US. I, however, can't help but focus on the fact that from 00:00:01 this Thursday morning, England will be entering into its second lockdown of the year. As I happen to be sheltering in England right now, that's a prospect that I'm not looking forward to.
The UK Government Rules Out Airport Testing As A Way To Avoid Quarantine
The UK currently imposes a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine on anyone arriving into the country from somewhere that isn't on its list of low-risk locations and, for the past few months, various travel industry leaders have been lobbying the government to offer alternatives to quarantine. The principal suggestion for an alternative has revolved around the government testing arriving passengers for Covid-19 and then allowing those who test negative to bypass self-isolation but, as of earlier today, that course of action has been firmly ruled out.
Global Entry, SENTRI & NEXUS fees may be about to increase
Global Entry, SENTRI, and NEXUS are programs offered by the United States Customs & Border Protection Bureau (CBP) which offer expedited immigration procedures to travelers considered low-risk by the US authorities. The fees for these programs haven't changed in years but a new filing by the CBP suggests that the bureau will be seeking to increase the fees charged by two of the three programs while the fee charged for the third will decrease slightly.
What Are Your Rights If An Airline Cancels Your Flight (Covid-19 Edition)
This post aims to inform readers with bookings to/from/within the United States and/or the European Union (and select associated nations) what their rights are when an airline cancels their flight(s) in the era of Covid-19.
Is The Briggs & Riley “Simple As That Lifetime Guarantee” As Good As Is...
I've been a big fan of Briggs & Riley for a number of years. I like quite a few of the ranges the luggage maker offers and I love the idea behind the lifetime guarantee that Briggs & Riley says it operates, but I've never had the need to rely on the integrity of the warranty that helps Briggs & Riley stand out from the pack. That has just changed.
Intercontinental Travel Isn’t Going To Get Easier Any Time Soon
Some links to products and travel providers on this website will earn Traveling For Miles a commission that helps contribute to the running of...
Gatwick’s CEO Wants An Unworkable Quarantine Plan For The UK
Over recent weeks the UK government has shown itself to be capable of introducing quarantine measures on arrivals into the country with little to no notice and, in a recent press conference, Gatwick’s CEO suggested that the government was taking the wrong approach to its quarantine restrictions and put forward a suggestion of his own. Unfortunately for him, it doesn't take a genius to see that his plan is wholly unworkable.
Another Great Example of Idiocy By The UK Government
Over the weekend the UK government suddenly reimposed quarantine restrictions on all travelers returning from Spain but, even though we all know the quarantine will be toothless, there's some logic to applying a quarantine to those returning from Spain and I don't have an issue with how quickly the new quarantine order was introduced. What I do take issue with is the truly idiotic messaging coming from two key government departments.
London Hotels Not Passing On Tax Savings To Guests
As of today, 15 July 2020, the level of VAT being charged on UK hotel accommodation is 5% (down from 20%) and as VAT is a tax on the consumer and not the hotelier (VAT is a sales tax so the hotelier is only acting as a government tax collector), it would be reasonable to expect the cost of a hotel night to drop in proportion to the drop in VAT...but this isn't necessarily the case.
Why You Probably Shouldn’t Book UK Hotels Before 15 July
Earlier this week, the government of the United Kingdom announced that its idiotic quarantine regulations would no longer apply to travelers visiting England from 60 nations as of 10 July but, even if you now find yourself allowed to travel to the UK, a recent announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer means that you probably shouldn't be rushing to book your accommodation before 15 July.
UK Quarantine Rules Will No Longer Apply To Visitors From 60 Countries (USA Not...
In what can only be seen as an admission that its decision to impose quarantine restrictions on visitors from abroad was a monumentally idiotic idea, the British government has just published a list of 60 countries from which people may visit England without having to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.
A Message For People Who Refuse To Wear A Face Covering
Yesterday was the first time in months that I ventured out of the suburb I've been living in and into a major metropolis, and it was quite an eye-opening experience. Throughout the day, I was fortunate in that most of the people I encountered in confined or enclosed areas were doing their civic duty and wearing a face covering of some sort or another (most were wearing masks), but rarely does a day goes by without a new story about a new set of idiots (usually back home in the US) who are refusing to cover their noses and mouths. This post contains a message to those idiots.
London’s Lockdown Is Easing But The City Is Still Incredibly Empty
I've been seeing out the current pandemic in the suburbs just outside London but, until yesterday, I hadn't been into the center of the city since a few weeks before we were locked down. With the UK's lockdown rules easing, I had assumed that London had been getting back to its usual bustling self since most stores were allowed to reopen earlier this month, so I wasn't prepared for the scenes that met me yesterday morning.
If You Have To Fly, Wear A Face Mask (It’s Really Not A Lot...
While in recent weeks, it has been heartening to read reports that fewer and fewer people are choosing to ignore the "wear a mask" advice, it's clear that there are still a significant number of flyers who, for reasons best known to themselves, are refusing to wear a mask on board an aircraft...and that's a shame. At a time when we should be doing our best to act in the interests of everyone around us as well as ourselves, this kind of selfishness is, to put it mildly, disappointing.
Airlines Take Legal Action Against UK Quarantine Rules
On Monday, 8 June, the UK introduced the quarantine rules that were originally announced back in May, so most visitors entering the country are now expected to self-isolate for 14 days before they can join the rest of the population and go about their business. The new rules are nothing short of idiotic and now three of the UK's major airlines have filed legal papers requesting the rules are put to a judicial review.
The UK’s Idiotic Quarantine Rules Are Now In Place
Last month, to the despair of most in the British travel industry, the UK government announced that it was planning to introduce a rule requiring most people arriving into the UK to self-isolate for a period of 14 days. As of today, 8 June 2020, that rule is now in force and it's nothing short of idiotic.
UK Announces Its Pointless Quarantine Rules [Updated]
On 10 May, the UK Prime Minister used an address to the nation to announce that his government would be introducing a 14-day quarantine period for visitors entering the UK as well as for nationals returning from abroad. At the time of the announcement the government's messaging was inexplicably mixed, the facts were very thin on the ground, the Prime Minister looked worryingly unsure of what he was announcing, and the country couldn't even be told when the quarantine restrictions would come into effect. The whole situation was farcical.
The UK Continues Embarrassing Mixed Messaging On Quarantine Rules
Eight days ago the UK's Prime Minister appeared on national TV to address the nation and to update it on the direction the country would be taking as it attempts to emerge from lockdown. The country was hoping for clear messaging and a road map back to normality but, instead, it was presented with 15 minutes of waffle and ideas that had clearly not been thought through.
The UK Will Impose Quarantine On Visitors…Sort Of…Sometime…
In last night's address to the nation, Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a series of announcements regarding the progress being made and the path his government will steer over the course of the coming weeks and months and, as far as travel goes, he made one very important announcement
US Citizens Shouldn’t Assume That They’ll Be Able To Travel Internationally Anytime Soon
I made the conscious decision to see out the current crisis outside of the US and away from my home in Los Angeles and, as a result, I'm getting a close look at how another country is handling the pandemic and how other countries are viewing the US response to Covid-19. The news on the latter isn't good.
Why I Generally Avoid Using Travel Agencies For Flight Bookings
For a lot of frequent travelers, there's a very obvious reason why booking hotels through one of the many online travel agencies may not be the best policy (you won't earn hotel loyalty points and your elite status will not be recognized), but because airlines aren't often seen to be treating travelers who have booked through agencies any differently to travelers who have booked directly, often there isn't the same level of reservation when it comes to using agencies for airfare bookings. Perhaps there should be.
I’ll Be Using Airbnb A Lot More After This Is All Over
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My Highly Insignificant, Yet Still Highly Annoying Dilemma
Earlier this week I wrote a post about how I'm using the thoughts of future travel to distract myself from the fact that I'm grounded and stuck at home for the foreseeable future. In that post I mentioned that one of the trips I'm planning would probably require me to buy some miles - it does and this is now causing me a dilemma.
Remember How Airlines, Hotels and Agencies Are Acting Right Now
At some point in the future, life will return to what it was like just a few months ago and people will be going about their lives and doing their best to forget the chaos that we're witnessing right now...but I hope we don't forget everything.
The US Adds The UK & Ireland To The Transatlantic Travel Ban – Here...
The United States has announced a 30-day ban on travel from 26 28 European countries to the United States which will come into force late on Friday 13 March 2020 (the UK/Ireland ban starts on 16 March). The counties affected are those signed up to the Schengen Agreement which abolished all forms of border control at the countries' mutual borders and, as of 14 March, the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
This Is Why Heathrow’s Immigration E-Gates Can Be A Joke
The introduction of electronic immigration gates at London’s super-busy Heathrow airport was hailed as the UK’s answer to speeding up the process to enter the county, the end of long immigration lines (for eligible travelers) and it was supposed to be almost as revolutionary as Global Entry has been in the US. But it isn’t. It’s nowhere near as good as Global Entry and it turns out there’s a very good reason for this.
I Don’t Understand Qatar’s New Travel Ban
As coronavirus fear spreads around the world we're seeing different nations taking different approaches in the battle to contain the virus' spread and there's one nation's approach that has left me scratching my head because it seems a little half-baked.
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