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flight and covid
Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 8:57 pm
by Oakland
Hi Guys
Anyone been in the same position, and what did you do ????
Our family are due to fly on this coming Friday , and the adult applied for the COVID test in the right time frame , so far no results and they are saying the average response time is five days , which is useless.
Has anybody encountered this and what did you do to travel , or just gave up and lost the flight
Thanks
Les
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 9:15 pm
by WHL
Without a test result you will not be allowed to board the aircraft,
unless you are a Cypriot citizen or s legal resident of the republic.
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:33 am
by Varky
WHL wrote: ↑Wed Oct 14, 2020 9:15 pm
Without a test result you will not be allowed to board the aircraft,
unless you are a Cypriot citizen or s legal resident of the republic.
This to me this is a loophole as those not required to have a test but can get onto a plane are a potential source of infection to fellow passengers. In my opinion all passengers should be tested prior to getting onto a Cyprus bound flight. This should be enforced by the airlines.
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:36 am
by WHL
Varky wrote: ↑Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:33 am
WHL wrote: ↑Wed Oct 14, 2020 9:15 pm
Without a test result you will not be allowed to board the aircraft,
unless you are a Cypriot citizen or s legal resident of the republic.
This to me this is a loophole as those not required to have a test but can get onto a plane are a potential source of infection to fellow passengers. In my opinion all passengers should be tested prior to getting onto a Cyprus bound flight. This should be enforced by the airlines.
You can not stop citizens of a country returning to their homes, if they test positive on their return they can quarantine in their homes, where are tourists going to quarantine, thats why there are two rules.
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:59 am
by mike strand2
True, you cannot legally not allow a citizen or legal resident to return, BUT airlines are duty bound not to put their own staff (or clients) at undue risk, so it would be up to citizens etc to find a safe way to return that did not put others at risk.
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 10:38 am
by Jimgward
Oakland wrote: ↑Wed Oct 14, 2020 8:57 pm
Hi Guys
Anyone been in the same position, and what did you do ????
Our family are due to fly on this coming Friday , and the adult applied for the COVID test in the right time frame , so far no results and they are saying the average response time is five days , which is useless.
Has anybody encountered this and what did you do to travel , or just gave up and lost the flight
Thanks
Les
5 days is surely for the “NHS” (Serco-Deloitte) test?
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 11:45 am
by Kili01
Mike,
So it is better that people who are very vulnerable to infection don't travel at present unless it is really necessary.... since you can also pick up infection including the virus at airports too.
Dee
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 12:05 pm
by Dominic
We have a directory of UK test centres that have been used by members of our Facebook group: Paphos Chat. You can find it here:
https://www.paphoslife.com/directory/ca ... id-test-uk
You may be able to get a rush test at one of the London ones, or somewhere else near you.
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 8:40 pm
by robf
You can opt to have the test when you arrive in Cyprus (just tick the travelling under Vienna convention thing). Flights we have been on everybody was tested whether they had a test in the UK or not
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:27 pm
by Dominic
No you can't. That's for diplomats. If you are caught lying you get a hefty fine.
How many flights have you been on?
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Thu Oct 15, 2020 10:46 pm
by WHL
robf wrote: ↑Thu Oct 15, 2020 8:40 pm
You can opt to have the test when you arrive in Cyprus (just tick the travelling under Vienna convention thing). Flights we have been on everybody was tested whether they had a test in the UK or not
Did you hear that down the Pub?
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 9:00 am
by robf
No WHL
That was how it was when I came out on Monday. I opted on the pass (you have to complete before travel) to have the test on arrival. Everyone was given a test on arrival and charged ( 60Euro), although some had the charge waved (they may have been permanant residents, but I cannot confirm as I did not ask). The ones who had arranged a test in the UK were also tested, they were not happy. If you can get the approval online then you are authorised to travel.
https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/en/login
You have to create a login
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 9:08 am
by WHL
robf wrote: ↑Fri Oct 16, 2020 9:00 am
No WHL
That was how it was when I came out on Monday. I opted on the pass (you have to complete before travel) to have the test on arrival. Everyone was given a test on arrival and charged ( 60Euro), although some had the charge waved (they may have been permanant residents, but I cannot confirm as I did not ask). The ones who had arranged a test in the UK were also tested, they were not happy. If you can get the approval online then you are authorised to travel.
https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/en/login
You have to create a login
You got lucky, others will not be, if they try and pull that one.
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 9:57 am
by kansas
Thanks for posting this information, Robf. The situation seems very fluid at the moment so it's good to have details of your recent experience, despite any caustic comments.
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 10:49 am
by dodo
So Robf is saying the people from UK who had already paid out for a test got tested again and charged €60 ! Utter tosh
There are a lot of random testing on individuals or whole planes arriving now, we were lucky back in Aug and again 3 wks ago as didn't see anybody off our flight being selected, the ones that needed testing had to stay on the plane till the ones with negative results had disembarked.
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 12:28 pm
by Kili01
ROBF, you should not have posted this misleading info on here. What you and others? have done is utterly wrong. If and when someone gets caught out they will be in trouble. People should get their tests done in the UK, prior to the flight. Dominic has provided a link to a list of private Labs. in the UK.
As it is the number of cases of the virus here are starting to balloon, so the Cypriot authorities are doing everything they can to try to stop it spreading. Its no wonder that they are randomly testing passengers off some flights arriving at the airports here.
Dee
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 12:41 pm
by robf
Im Sorry, but it is not misinformation, you have to tick the box that you have not had a test, but that you are willing to have a test on arrival, then you are approved. There is no pulling a fast one at all.
I said all the people on my flight were tested, please read the post properly. I have no idea or comment on what happens on other flights, only mine
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 1:02 pm
by robf
Please see below from the Cyprus Flight Pass Quick Check
Much better to get the test on arrival in Cyprus, in my opinion, than chasing about the UK
https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/en/quick-check
Can I get a CyprusFlightPass?
Country of Departure
SELECT ONE
Departure Date
View Country Categories
I belong to one of the defined passenger categories who have the option to request a COVID-19 test to be carried out on arrival in the Republic Cyprus (Category B Countries)
I belong to one of the defined passenger categories who have only the right to enter in the Republic of Cyprus as well as the option to request a COVID-19 test to be carried out on arrival in the Republic of Cyprus (Category C Countries)
I have travelled abroad 14 days before my travel to the Republic of Cyprus or I will be a passenger on an international journey to the Republic of Cyprus via intermediate Countries with overnight stay
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 1:10 pm
by robf
Please note that the UK is currently a catagory B country
I do hope that this helps to clarify the current situation on travel. I posted it because i found out, that because of misinformation, people we know actually cancelled their flight because they could not get a test in the UK on time, they mistakenly beleived that they had to have one before travelling (no idea who started that rumour) and did not know that they had the option of test on arrival.
What you do need is to have the approved Cyprus flight Pass. see link above.
Re: flight and covid
Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2020 1:37 pm
by robf
Ouch
Ok, it would seem that I am in the wrong regarding catagory B travel, the option for testing on arrival being for Cypriot citizens and permanent residents of Cyprus. Hope they let me go home (I tested negative)

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