'A till receipt is not proof of vaccination' - a French airport employee explains travel in the Covid era
Travel in the Covid era is a complicated matter, requiring various different combinations of vaccine certificates, Covid test results and health declarations depending on where you are going - and the people at the frontline of dealing with the new rules are airport staff.
One airport employee in France has prepared some handy 'top tips' on her Twitter account, detailing the problems that she encounters on a daily basis with travellers who have not read or understood the new rules.
Although France has lifted many of the travel restrictions that have been in place for the past 18 months, travel from red list countries remains heavily restricted while arrivals from some other countries need to be able to prove their fully vaccinated status.
READ ALSO How France's traffic light travel system works
If you're departing from France you need to read carefully the rules of the country you are travelling to - all countries have their own rules and all are slightly different, even within the supposedly harmonised EU.
To make things more complicated, countries define 'fully vaccinated' differently, so you also need to check whether your vaccine proof is acceptable.
You then need to make sure you have the appropriate combination of vaccine certificate, test results or passenger locator forms - either in paper format or digitally on a mobile phone that has sufficient battery life left for checks.
If you are flying, these checks will be done by airport staff who cannot let you onto the plane if you do not have the necessary paperwork.
Here, one British-French dual-national who works at an airport in France explains some of the scenes she sees at work.
AIR TRAVEL TOP TIP
🇫🇷 to 🇬🇧
BEFORE going to airport, download
1/ Boarding pass
2/ Negative Covid test (less than 72 hrs)
3/ Passenger Locator Form
Screenshot all then put in easily-accessible folder
If you don’t understand this, you need to print everything.
You’re welcome
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 13, 2021
Travel from France to the UK has several pitfalls for the unwary.
First is the Day 2 test - although fully vaccinated arrivals from France no longer need to quarantine, everyone needs to book a 'Day 2 test' for after your arrival in the UK. The Passenger locator form which is compulsory for all travellers cannot be completed without a booking reference - meaning you need to book your Day 2 test before leaving France.
READ ALSO How to book that 'Day 2' travel test
Second is the fact that everyone, even the fully vaccinated, needs a negative Covid test to enter the UK. This can be either a PCR or antigen test, but home-test kits are not accepted. The test must be taken within 72 hours of travel.
…also don’t go thinking that your DIY covid test will be accepted by 🇫🇷 airport staff.
A photo of what, essentially, looks like a pregnancy test doesn’t meet the standard!
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 13, 2021
READ ALSO How tourists can book a Covid test in France
Third is what counts as 'fully vaccinated' according to the UK government - which doesn't include people who had mixed vaccine doses or people who had a single vaccine dose after recovering from Covid. People not counted as fully vaccinated can travel, but must quarantine and pay for two Covid tests on arrival.
Tests
Many countries demand pre-departure Covid tests, especially for people not fully vaccinated, and these should be done before you arrive at the airport.
Most countries accept either PCR or antigen tests, but check the rules of your destination country before travelling to ensure that you have the right type. The standard antigen tests available at French pharmacies fit the UK's travel criteria and can usually be accessed without an appointment. Very few countries accept home-test kit results for travel purposes.
Another airport top tip:
Trying to explain to staff that you’re sure your negative PCR result will arrive before you land, so they should let you board, isn’t going to work!! No negative test (no DIY ones)…no fly!
End of Public Service Announcement
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 15, 2021
The standard test results certificate in France for either PCR or antigen test includes a QR code that can be used for travel, so there is no need to ask for a special travel test certificate (although a till receipt does not cut it as proof).
Afternoon flight was so much fun:
Had passenger with out of time covid test. No, arguing with airport staff won’t make it more valid.
Another with a receipt for a covid test. Yes, à till receipt. Le sigh.
Another earnestly told me how he’d dropped his phone in the bath 1/
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 16, 2021
EU vaccine passport
If you are travelling from France to another EU country, you may need to update or download again your vaccination certificate to ensure that it is compatible with the EU-wide digital passport - more details here. If you were vaccinated in France and your vaccination certificate appears in the TousAntiCovid app with a little EU flag emoji next to it, then you're good to go.
Children
Most countries that require negative Covid tests have a cut-off age for children, but these are bewilderingly different, ranging from babies to teenagers. Check carefully the cut-off age of the country you are travelling to if you are travelling with children.
READ ALSO Can families with unvaccinated children holiday in France?
Check-in time
All this extra paperwork and checks take time
Top Tip
Do not turn up to an airport AFTER check in has closed expecting to make your flight.
There’s too many checks/paperwork.
It doesn’t matter that « the plane doesn’t leave for another 30 minutes »…it ain’t happening.
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 14, 2021
Masks
Don't forget about masks.
I enforced mask-wearing at work today.
« Your mask must cover your nose and your mouth. Thank you »
Full compliance. Excellent !
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 13, 2021
Masks - worn so they cover the nose and mouth - are compulsory in all airports and other public transport networks in France and unlike in some countries there are no medical exemptions to the mask rule.
Face shields are not accepted as masks, neither are scarfs or bandanas worn over the face, or masks worn dangling under your chin. Failure to comply with mask rules can net you a €135 fine from police, as well as a polite reminder from airport staff.
And finally - be nice to airport staff! Even if the rules seem to you completely insane, they were not devised by the worker at the airport.
Work colleague (at airport) just asked how many passengers were on the flight we had just done…
Me: 1000…maybe 2000 (plane takes 180). We’re already exhausted by all the extra paperwork checks!
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 16, 2021
Comments
See Also
One airport employee in France has prepared some handy 'top tips' on her Twitter account, detailing the problems that she encounters on a daily basis with travellers who have not read or understood the new rules.
Although France has lifted many of the travel restrictions that have been in place for the past 18 months, travel from red list countries remains heavily restricted while arrivals from some other countries need to be able to prove their fully vaccinated status.
READ ALSO How France's traffic light travel system works
If you're departing from France you need to read carefully the rules of the country you are travelling to - all countries have their own rules and all are slightly different, even within the supposedly harmonised EU.
To make things more complicated, countries define 'fully vaccinated' differently, so you also need to check whether your vaccine proof is acceptable.
You then need to make sure you have the appropriate combination of vaccine certificate, test results or passenger locator forms - either in paper format or digitally on a mobile phone that has sufficient battery life left for checks.
If you are flying, these checks will be done by airport staff who cannot let you onto the plane if you do not have the necessary paperwork.
Here, one British-French dual-national who works at an airport in France explains some of the scenes she sees at work.
AIR TRAVEL TOP TIP
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 13, 2021
🇫🇷 to 🇬🇧
BEFORE going to airport, download
1/ Boarding pass
2/ Negative Covid test (less than 72 hrs)
3/ Passenger Locator Form
Screenshot all then put in easily-accessible folder
If you don’t understand this, you need to print everything.
You’re welcome
Travel from France to the UK has several pitfalls for the unwary.
First is the Day 2 test - although fully vaccinated arrivals from France no longer need to quarantine, everyone needs to book a 'Day 2 test' for after your arrival in the UK. The Passenger locator form which is compulsory for all travellers cannot be completed without a booking reference - meaning you need to book your Day 2 test before leaving France.
READ ALSO How to book that 'Day 2' travel test
Second is the fact that everyone, even the fully vaccinated, needs a negative Covid test to enter the UK. This can be either a PCR or antigen test, but home-test kits are not accepted. The test must be taken within 72 hours of travel.
…also don’t go thinking that your DIY covid test will be accepted by 🇫🇷 airport staff.
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 13, 2021
A photo of what, essentially, looks like a pregnancy test doesn’t meet the standard!
READ ALSO How tourists can book a Covid test in France
Third is what counts as 'fully vaccinated' according to the UK government - which doesn't include people who had mixed vaccine doses or people who had a single vaccine dose after recovering from Covid. People not counted as fully vaccinated can travel, but must quarantine and pay for two Covid tests on arrival.
Tests
Many countries demand pre-departure Covid tests, especially for people not fully vaccinated, and these should be done before you arrive at the airport.
Most countries accept either PCR or antigen tests, but check the rules of your destination country before travelling to ensure that you have the right type. The standard antigen tests available at French pharmacies fit the UK's travel criteria and can usually be accessed without an appointment. Very few countries accept home-test kit results for travel purposes.
Another airport top tip:
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 15, 2021
Trying to explain to staff that you’re sure your negative PCR result will arrive before you land, so they should let you board, isn’t going to work!! No negative test (no DIY ones)…no fly!
End of Public Service Announcement
The standard test results certificate in France for either PCR or antigen test includes a QR code that can be used for travel, so there is no need to ask for a special travel test certificate (although a till receipt does not cut it as proof).
Afternoon flight was so much fun:
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 16, 2021
Had passenger with out of time covid test. No, arguing with airport staff won’t make it more valid.
Another with a receipt for a covid test. Yes, à till receipt. Le sigh.
Another earnestly told me how he’d dropped his phone in the bath 1/
EU vaccine passport
If you are travelling from France to another EU country, you may need to update or download again your vaccination certificate to ensure that it is compatible with the EU-wide digital passport - more details here. If you were vaccinated in France and your vaccination certificate appears in the TousAntiCovid app with a little EU flag emoji next to it, then you're good to go.
Children
Most countries that require negative Covid tests have a cut-off age for children, but these are bewilderingly different, ranging from babies to teenagers. Check carefully the cut-off age of the country you are travelling to if you are travelling with children.
READ ALSO Can families with unvaccinated children holiday in France?
Check-in time
All this extra paperwork and checks take time
Top Tip
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 14, 2021
Do not turn up to an airport AFTER check in has closed expecting to make your flight.
There’s too many checks/paperwork.
It doesn’t matter that « the plane doesn’t leave for another 30 minutes »…it ain’t happening.
Masks
Don't forget about masks.
I enforced mask-wearing at work today.
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 13, 2021
« Your mask must cover your nose and your mouth. Thank you »
Full compliance. Excellent !
Masks - worn so they cover the nose and mouth - are compulsory in all airports and other public transport networks in France and unlike in some countries there are no medical exemptions to the mask rule.
Face shields are not accepted as masks, neither are scarfs or bandanas worn over the face, or masks worn dangling under your chin. Failure to comply with mask rules can net you a €135 fine from police, as well as a polite reminder from airport staff.
And finally - be nice to airport staff! Even if the rules seem to you completely insane, they were not devised by the worker at the airport.
Work colleague (at airport) just asked how many passengers were on the flight we had just done…
— Franglaise (@frangla) August 16, 2021
Me: 1000…maybe 2000 (plane takes 180). We’re already exhausted by all the extra paperwork checks!
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