Coronavirus: Oman, Norway, Cyprus and Czech Republic block UK travellers

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• Deb says:

  13 Mar13 March 08:05

  We are supposed to be positioning in Oslo on Sunday for a BA flight to CPT.
  How will enforced quarantine work if you are a visitor to Norway? Does anyone have any information?

  • zee says:

    13 Mar13 March 08:17

    Deb, Im in a similar situation to you in reverse. I fly next week on Qatar back to Oslo from CPT. I was supposed to fly back same day to UK on BA so Im trying to find out if i will get quarantined in Oslo. I cant find the answer but let me know if you figure it out. If anyone has info its much appreciated.

    BTW weather in CPT is lovely and there is still toilet paper for sale in the supermarkets! Im buying an extra bag to bring it back and sell it on ebay 😉

    • Hemal says:

      13 Mar13 March 08:49

      I haven’t been able to get any other news on this. Anyone else had any luck?

      I’m considering buying a one way from Singapore just to get home.

    • Stephan says:

      13 Mar13 March 11:30

      Exactly the same position as you – but three weeks from now. Could do with some advice too. Wondering if it’s worth trying to change the Doha > Oslo leg to Doha > Heathrow even if it means a downgrade.

      • Polly says:

        14 Mar14 March 09:03

        And just claim the change fee from insurance company as you were following gov advice from a country on your route. Could be hefty tho. Good luck.
        Such a shame so many people’s ex eu plans are affected, and for some their first trip. What should have been an interesting experience.
        Let’s hope it runs its course, and only a very small number actually badly affected.
        Keep on washing those hands everyone. Good old soap and water your best friend now.

• Phil says:

  13 Mar13 March 08:21

  FCO website has updated re Cyprus, and states the Cat 2 restrictions only apply to North Cyprus. Tour operators such as TUI are advising on Twitter it’s business as usual in the south.

• Shaz says:

  13 Mar13 March 08:33

  Rob – Argentina/Peru have stopped all temporary visas for U.K. nationals?

• Oxonboy says:

  13 Mar13 March 08:42

  I’m due to transit through Gothenburg on 19 March to London from Auckland via Doha and can’t find out if this will result in quarantine. As with Deb and Zee if anyone has reliable information I’d appreciate an update. Thanks.

• gavin says:

  13 Mar13 March 09:00

  Due to fly tp Prague tomorrow, Easyjet flight still showing as going, very frustrating as can’t get through on phone.
  Assume they will cancel flight?

  • Craig says:

    13 Mar13 March 09:07

    Not necessarily, they will be taking Czech citizens and repatriating Brits.

• Flatwell says:

  13 Mar13 March 09:26

  India suspended all visas starting today. FCO travel advice below:

  https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/india/entry-requirements#visas

• Alex M says:

  13 Mar13 March 09:40

  What if I plan to travel to one of those countries for 3 days only? Will I still be allowed in?

  • Jcp says:

    13 Mar13 March 10:01

    No.

  • Rob says:

    13 Mar13 March 10:44

    No

    • Olly says:

      13 Mar13 March 11:10

      That is not how it was put to those of us waiting in the departure gate at LGW when called for the BA flight to Dubrovnik earlier this morning (We were due to spend 5 nights on points at the Hilton Imperial.) On numerous announcement the BA member of staff, as more of the passengers arrived, stated that due to the Croatian Government’s decision yesterday that travellers from countries including the UK, would be required to self- isolate for 14 days, if we wished to board the aircraft we should have that in mind. I am unsure if the wording was such from BA that they were not cancelling the flight or preventing us from flying but if we’re did, we couldn’t go anywhere over there and be housebound.
      Discussions that ensured regarding, if passengers would actually be allowed to leave the airport, get taken to somewhere of the authority’s choosing or if were would be prevented from leaving due to closed boarders meant that all but a handful of what appeared to be nationals, decided to not board and we proceeded to go through passport control and baggage reclaim before getting a taxi back home.
      I have contacted Hilton customer services to see if I will get my points back but they are waiting for a response from the hotel. I have still to get through to BA regarding my flight and car hire refund. Im Amex Platinum and am hoping to be able tho get my £70 traxi fare re-imbursed as well. My thoughts are that no travel tho anywhere in Europe will soon be the case and will be in place for quite a while. I just hope I can get my money and points back at the moment.

      • meta says:

        13 Mar13 March 11:26

        So sorry to hear Olly.

        The official policy was enacted quite late yesterday, but came into proper effect today as there were no flights from UK that late I believe.

        Fingers crossed you get everything back!

        • meta says:

          13 Mar13 March 11:30

          Also even Croatian nationals have to self-isolate! It’s not based on nationality.

      • Grant says:

        13 Mar13 March 11:38

        This is the nightmare position that many of us may find ourselves in over the coming weeks – no FCO advice against travel but a quarantine restriction for travellers from the UK at the destination country. If the airlines play hardball and continue running flights then voluntary cancellation by passengers means no refund or insurance cover.

        • Olly says:

          13 Mar13 March 11:52

          That is the view I am currently holding, that BA and thr insurance companies will state that the passenger is the one who cancelled and forfeited any comeback. The reality being the passenger had no option with the possibility of being trapped in a country that had closed its borders.
          P.S. @meta I appreciate it included national’s but I presumed they have homes in which to self isolate and does not affect them in the same way as a tourist.

        • Colin MacKinnon says:

          13 Mar13 March 12:26

          Remember that there is a broad principle in insurance:

          The insured must do everything to minimise their claim.

          So there is a really strong argument here that by deciding not to take the flight, you were reducing the insurance company’s liabilities for extra accommodation and a rebooked return.

          In other words, you were fulfilling your duty to minimise the claim.

      • Algor says:

        13 Mar13 March 14:26

        You will get all your points back no matter what, everyone is very flexible with cancellations anyway but worst case scenario you will be charged 1st night room and tax (5 nights reservation so probably SRR, current rates in Dubrovnik are lower than ever).

        Weather is great and was a nice trip, so sorry this happened to you.

• Aman says:

  13 Mar13 March 10:08

  I’m wondering if anyone is in the same boat and can give some advice. I fly to Bali with Qatar on Thursday 19th March, but fly into Oslo Wednesday 18th March, stay at an airport hotel and leave the next morning. I have no intention of heading anywhere but the hotel and leaving the next morning. Will this still be honoured?

  • Clive says:

    13 Mar13 March 10:33

    Everyone arriving in Norway from areas outside the Nordic area (Scandinavia plus Iceland) must enter a quarantine at home, even if they don’t have any symptoms. The quarantine order is retroactive, which means that government officials who were on foreign trips will be quarantined as well, including King Harald and Queen Sonja.

    • Aman says:

      13 Mar13 March 10:40

      As an update I’ve phoned the Embassy, who were wonderfully helpful 🙂

      Apparently they don’t know if I’d be allowed to stay / leave or deported on touchdown. Sadly looking like the only option is to cancel.

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