Trip to UK VTL flight December 2021

[Boringchap]

It has been a long time since I posted in MCF.  The forum interface seems to have improved!

On the topic of travel, we went to the UK in December, and flew back just as Omicron was exploding there.  

Travelling during COVID times was certainly a very different experience.  Let me start by posting a link to a video I made on the differences in the 2 SQ 317 flights I took in 2021 vs 2015. 

 https://youtu.be/O8Oi1hj15pE

I don't know how to put the video up here as a thumbnail, hence just a link. Sorry about that.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Boringchap
update

[inlinesix]

 

[Boringchap]

1 minute ago, inlinesix said:

 

oh thanks!  How did you do that?  I think there is some code?  Please teach. 

[teomingern]

Thanks for sharing! Got some questions:

1. Just to check the swab test types:

SIN-LRH - PCR (pre-departure)

LRH - lateral flow (ART) (on-arrival)

LRH-SIN - lateral flow (ART) (pre-departure)

SIN - PCR (on-arrival)

Correct bo?

2. What was the damage? How many pax?

3. Was it difficult to get the on-arrival swab test and the pre-departure swab test at Heathrow? Need to pre-book? Or just walk-in?

4. Can endure the whole flight with mask on or not? 13 hours direct flight leh... the air crew got ensure people wear mask or not.

5. Your return VTL flight was SQ317 is it? Was it more expensive than usual? Can share how much?

6. What kind of restrictions were there when in places of interest? Like the castles, museums, cafes, restaurants? Can capacity limits or not?

7. Was it very cold and rainy every day? Your plans got washed out by the weather or not?

8. Did you drive around? Or take train or bus? Especially from city to city?

Sorry, ask so many questions... I was planning to go too... but the testing cost really turn me off... plus other reasons lar... 

And congratulations for taking a holiday during the pandemic! At least got some sense of normalcy for you... I wish to go to... but...

Thank you very much!

[Boringchap]

Wow, so many questions!  Let me try to answer as best as I can.

1. Type of swab tests

2. What was the damage? How many pax?

3. Was it difficult to get the on-arrival swab test and the pre-departure swab test at Heathrow? Need to pre-book? Or just walk-in?

As these requirements change all the time, you have to keep checking the UK website and also the Safetravel ICA website for Singapore.  For us, when we arrived in the UK, there was no pre-departure test required.  But we had to do a Day 2 PCR test in the UK (for UK the day you arrive is Day 0), and you have to book the test in advance and fill up the details in the UK passenger locator form - https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk; the form is quite long and there is one page where they ask you for a code of the test that you have pre-booked. 

I used this company called Randox - https://fly.randox.com/; the cost was 50 GBP per person, after a 5 GBP discount (managed to find and use a discount code).

What happens at Heathrow is that all the tests are decentralised.  When we arrive, we clear immigration (using their e-gates which was very easy), collect your luggage and you can leave the airport already.  No need to do test at the airport.  For us, we went to pick up a rental car from SIXT, and then drove to the Randox test centre at London Heathrow which is located in the carpark of a hotel (I think Radisson Blu).  No queues when we arrived and the test was done very quickly.  In this video, I have some footage of the car and Randox centre - 

Fast forward to 16:15 of the video for the car and then the outside of the test centre.

To be continued....

 

 

 

[inlinesix]

31 minutes ago, Boringchap said:

oh thanks!  How did you do that?  I think there is some code?  Please teach. 

I copy and paste the link into the reply box.

Sometimes, it does not appear.

If it does not appear, delete the link and redo

[Boringchap]

Questions:

4. Can endure the whole flight with mask on or not? 13 hours direct flight leh... the air crew got ensure people wear mask or not.

5. Your return VTL flight was SQ317 is it? Was it more expensive than usual? Can share how much?

Masks must be worn on the plane unless you are eating or drinking.  Cannot tahan also must wear.  The cabin crew didn't have to enforce because I observed that the passengers were all very compliant.  Most the passengers were NOT Singaporean.  Mostly transit, I think.  They all very 'kwai'.  

For us, we are genuinely scared of catching COVID especially on the plane, so of course we kept our masks on throughout except during meal times.  What really helped was that we wore masks that do not touch your mouth.  Check out those Korean-made KN-94 or KN-95 type of masks.  I would strongly recommend wearing a better mask on the plane, and not just a cloth or even surgical mask.   It turns out that all of us were pretty ok wearing the mask throughout the flight.  In fact, I found it quite comfortable!  The air on the plane can get quite dry and wearing a face mask actually helps to keep the moisture in, which was good. 

Yes, our return flight was SQ317 as there was only 1 VTL flight, so no choice.  This is the review of the flight - 

We booked our flights shortly after the VTL scheme to UK was announced.  Noticed that we flew Premium Economy to London and Economy back to Singapore.  The total cost for us came up to slightly over $2K per pax.  If we had flown both ways Economy, I think the cost would have been around $1.4K/pax.  I recall when I was pricing the flights, the Premium Economy cabin was $600/pax more.  We didn't choose PE cabin for the return flight because of the cost - I think it would have been another $800 - $1K per pax if I chose PE for the flight coming back. 

All that said, Airline pricing is very dynamic.  You should go to SQ website to try some dummy bookings to get a sense of the prices.  Next year, I noticed they are mounting more flights to London, so hopefully prices will stay low. 

[Boringchap]

Sorry double post.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Boringchap
double post

[Boringchap]

Questions

8. Did you drive around? Or take train or bus? Especially from city to city?

For most of the trip, our primary mode of transport was rental car.  We reasoned that we wanted to avoid public transport like Trains or buses as much as possible.  So driving around in our own rental car would at least make this part of the trip safe.  We hired from SIXT.  Got a premium SUV (up-sold at the counter, I originally booked an Estate Car).  Turned out to be a good idea as we had a lot of luggage and it could barely fit.  See the video below.

I did enjoy driving this very large vehicle.  It was a v6 3L Diesel.  I wouldn't buy one in Singapore though. 

[bsswan]

44 minutes ago, Boringchap said:

Wow, so many questions!  Let me try to answer as best as I can.

1. Type of swab tests

2. What was the damage? How many pax?

3. Was it difficult to get the on-arrival swab test and the pre-departure swab test at Heathrow? Need to pre-book? Or just walk-in?

As these requirements change all the time, you have to keep checking the UK website and also the Safetravel ICA website for Singapore.  For us, when we arrived in the UK, there was no pre-departure test required.  But we had to do a Day 2 PCR test in the UK (for UK the day you arrive is Day 0), and you have to book the test in advance and fill up the details in the UK passenger locator form - https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk; the form is quite long and there is one page where they ask you for a code of the test that you have pre-booked. 

I used this company called Randox - https://fly.randox.com/; the cost was 50 GBP per person, after a 5 GBP discount (managed to find and use a discount code).

 

Wow, they've gone a bit nuts with their Day2 tests then recently......end of November I was GBP21pp for the three of us, delivered by Boots.

I'm not sure, it could be we were allowed ART back then so yes, I agree with you, everything keeps changing and constant supervision of all websites is a must.

[Boringchap]

8 minutes ago, bsswan said:

Wow, they've gone a bit nuts with their Day2 tests then recently......end of November I was GBP21pp for the three of us, delivered by Boots.

I'm not sure, it could be we were allowed ART back then so yes, I agree with you, everything keeps changing and constant supervision of all websites is a must.

It is the change to PCR from Lateral Flow (ART) that bumped up the cost.  End Nov was still Lateral Flow/ART.  The PCR requirement was put in place because of Omicron and took effect only a few days before our arrival.  We had already booked and paid for our lateral flow tests by then!  I recall it was about 25 GBP per person.  So that booking went up in smoke because we could no longer use lateral flow on arrival. 

[bsswan]

2 minutes ago, Boringchap said:

It is the change to PCR from Lateral Flow (ART) that bumped up the cost.  End Nov was still Lateral Flow/ART.  The PCR requirement was put in place because of Omicron and took effect only a few days before our arrival.  We had already booked and paid for our lateral flow tests by then!  I recall it was about 25 GBP per person.  So that booking went up in smoke because we could no longer use lateral flow on arrival. 

Right.

Few days before we got back, SG introduced daily testing and Day 3 & 7 supervised that added another SGD90 to the trip. Lucky we still had all the free test kits from government to use at home.

I think, for work and family, trips are fine but for holidays I feel the effort, paperwork and stressing everything is in order, is too much. Maybe it was me because I was the one making sure all the applications and paperwork was correct for us all.....and had to remember where to find it all.

[Boringchap]

16 minutes ago, bsswan said:

Right.

Few days before we got back, SG introduced daily testing and Day 3 & 7 supervised that added another SGD90 to the trip. Lucky we still had all the free test kits from government to use at home.

I think, for work and family, trips are fine but for holidays I feel the effort, paperwork and stressing everything is in order, is too much. Maybe it was me because I was the one making sure all the applications and paperwork was correct for us all.....and had to remember where to find it all.

Yes. A whole new level of “stress”.

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Boringchap

[Old-driver]

2 hours ago, Boringchap said:

It has been a long time since I posted in MCF.  The forum interface seems to have improved!

On the topic of travel, we went to the UK in December, and flew back just as Omicron was exploding there.  

Travelling during COVID times was certainly a very different experience.  Let me start by posting a link to a video I made on the differences in the 2 SQ 317 flights I took in 2021 vs 2015. 

 https://youtu.be/O8Oi1hj15pE

I don't know how to put the video up here as a thumbnail, hence just a link. Sorry about that.

Nice plane report!

Can i asked if there is safe distancing on board? As in a seat gap in between passengers or?

 

[Boringchap]

2 minutes ago, Old-driver said:

Nice plane report!

Can i asked if there is safe distancing on board? As in a seat gap in between passengers or?

 

No, there is no safe distancing.  Every seat can be taken.  That makes plane rides risky.  Once you have am infectious COVID person near or next to you......

[Old-driver]

25 minutes ago, Boringchap said:

No, there is no safe distancing.  Every seat can be taken.  That makes plane rides risky.  Once you have am infectious COVID person near or next to you......

Yes i can imaging someone sitting next to me for 12 hours coughing or sneezing..... 😓

[Boringchap]

Just now, Old-driver said:

Yes i can imaging someone sitting next to me for 12 hours coughing or sneezing..... 😓

Correct. If there are empty seats maybe can request a change. If not, hope for the best. 

[Old-driver]

2 minutes ago, Boringchap said:

Correct. If there are empty seats maybe can request a change. If not, hope for the best. 

Was the plane full btw?