As we start 2021, we continue to face many challenges as a global travel industry. The scale and impact of the pandemic affects all of us and undoubtedly has had a profound impact on both our personal and professional lives. In what is a fast and ever-changing situation, I want to assure you that everyone at British Airways is working tirelessly to continue supporting essential travel where permitted and the ongoing maintenance of critical global supply chains.
I appreciate that there is a lot to take in at the moment, with almost daily changes to travel information and policies. I thought it may be helpful to summarise some of the key points as they currently stand, but please do continue to refer to the BA Trade Support site, ba.com and gov.uk for the very latest information.
Mandatory Covid-19 pre-departure testing for flights to the UK
All passengers, including those transiting airside via a UK airport, must now provide evidence of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of their flight departure time. Information on limited exceptions and test requirements can be found here. Customers should be prepared to show their test documentation when asked by a member of airline staff or an official.
Passenger Locator Form for arrivals to the UK
All customers must complete the ‘Passenger Locator Form’ online before they arrive in the UK.
UK government suspension of ‘Travel Corridors’ and mandatory quarantine
As of 18 January, all Travel Corridors with the UK have been suspended. This means that customers must now self-isolate for 10 days or opt into the “Test to Release” scheme after the fifth full day of isolation to shorten the total isolation period. More information can be found here.
Testing and entry requirements for other destinations
Many of the destinations we fly to have introduced their own entry requirements including mandatory testing and quarantine. Customers should check gov.uk prior to departure for information relating to their destination of travel. British Airways colleagues at the airport will continue to check customer documentation for compliance, when they are travelling to a destination with specific government entry requirements.
British Airways’ flying schedule
The current UK lockdown and Travel Corridor suspension means we are having to operate a dynamic schedule. The latest guidelines from the UK government means we cannot accept customers from a number of countries in South America, sub-Saharan Africa, along with Portugal and Cape Verde.
You can find the latest schedule in your GDS and your Account Manager can share with you our weekly and monthly schedule. We continue to operate a range of daily European and International flights where permitted, with the safety of our staff and customers remaining our number one priority. Please ensure that your customers’ contact details are in the booking, so they can be made aware of any late changes to their itinerary.
Flexibility to help you
If we cancel a flight, you can request a full refund. Our Book with Confidence policy continues to offer flexibility if customers’ plans change.
Finally, I’d like to update you on some recent news from British Airways. Although our ability to travel continues to be restricted, we aren’t standing still and have recently announced some exciting changes to our customer experience.