Majorca testing requirements!

[Katie1109]

For anyone who is not fully vaccinated, please see link below. Spanish government and health ministry website seems to suggest that rapid antigen tests are acceptable for entry…unlike our gov website and travel companies - trying to make more money on PCR perhaps?
Just scroll down to questions part on the website:

www.spth.gob.es/

What is everyone doing if they’re planning on going in the next week or so?

@Ambosell are you travelling with easyjet? If so they have a 20% off code for Collinsons tests.

[quote Amboseli]@IsabellesMissingSock yes I suspect that will be the case, the people on the ground won't check everything thoroughly. But we'll still get ours done within correct time frame.

Do you mind me asking how much your same day PCR cost? I'm looking at LAMP for £82 with 90 min turnaround.[/quote]
I paid a ridiculous £200 for mine, but at that point it was still so unclear about what was acceptable for entry to Spain as they changed the rules the day after we booked (typical!!) and I really didn't want to risk being denied entry cos of wrong test, and I knew that PCR would be ok. And I also went for same day option in case it was otherwise delayed and results not back in time. So I paid for the peace of mind basically. Hopefully in time the requirements will be 100% clear for folk wanting to go away. I rationalised the cost by countering it against the fact that I've saved a fortune on not going away for ages as normally travel a lot. And now I'm here, I've pretty much forgotten about the cost, it's worth it to me :)

@albicocca thanks for the tip! I've actually booked a package with TUI and our flights were originally with TUI airways but they got cancelled and are now with easyJet so I'm not sure if that's the same as booking direct with easyJet. Will investigate.

@IsabellesMissingSock thanks for your reply.

Yes I'd have done the same if we'd been due to depart very shortly after the rules came into effect.

We're not traveling until 17th July so am hoping there'll be more clarity before then on acceptable tests and we might in fact be able to get antigen not LAMP.

But I've got a feeling Majorca might turn amber before we go or whilst we're out there. TUI do very cheap testing packages, £20pp if traveling from green list, £60pp if amber. I need to order test package soonish and don't know whether to order amber package so we're covered if it turns amber or green to avoid wasting money if it doesn't turn amber.

In amber I'll book test to release with Boots which are £85pp.

We also didn't go away at all last year so I'm not overly bothered about cost of tests but OTOH am disgusted at government's obvious profiteering from cost of testing when in other countries it's either free or half the price of the UK.

I'm happy for you that you've made it there ok. Enjoy!

Thanks @Amboseli, it's so nice here ☀️ Yeah I heard the amber rumours too but I can't be bothered to care at the moment, what will be will be. I only booked green-level tests, can add the extra ones if needed, it's all a money-making farce though, I completely agree. I hope your trip goes smoothly, you'll have a great time once you get here

Child's fit to fly rapid in person PCR just came back positive , so no Mallorca for us , just self-isolating. Gutted. But glad it was detected here and not there !! It's very risky at the moment I think.
Now off to check travel insurance.

On no @Tatapie, how disappointing! Hope the travel insurance is straightforward.

We have an early morning flight from Bristol on a Tuesday morning, land at about 9 in Palma I think, so our window of opportunity is to take the test between 9 am the Sunday before and arrival, is that correct? Bit nervous of a Sunday holding up results.

@Tatapie oh no! That's what I'm dreading. How old is your child?

Mine are teens. I've told them to stay at home for the 7 days prior to their test but of course that's no guarantee.

Emma randox do a 3 hour express pcr

That’s what I’m booking for my teens so I could book Friday 7am for a Saturday flight out

It’s £95 each but at least if postive I’ll ah e all afternoon Friday to move holiday

@Watapalava why are you booking test on a Friday for a Saturday departure? You could have it on the Thursday?

We're departing on a Saturday so I'm booking a Thursday test for the teens. 2 hour turnaround. I'll then have Thursday afternoon and all day Friday to rearrange if they're positive. Arrggh!

Thanks @Watapalava, but I can't see an option for Bristol for the fast tests? I do see at I can drop a sample on a Sunday morning with results due back within 24 hours, but eek!!

This is my plan, I think it's everything (apart from the various passenger forms, I'll get my head around that once I've worked out the testing required).

Leaving UK for Majorca:
DH and I double vaxxed- proof via NHS app
DD & DS need tests 48hrs prior to arrival

Leaving Majorca for UK:
Find a test in Majorca up to 3 days before travelling back to UK (we're only going for 5 nights, so will scope this out on landing at airport)

Arriving in UK:
PCR tests for all 4 of us on day 2 (will probably pre-order these before we leave the UK so they're ready for when we're home).

Complex!!

@Amboseli 18. Nightmare. Was a risk but I hop I can claim on insurance @EmmaStone

@Tatapie I do hope you can claim on your insurance. We've booked with TUI which comes with covid insurance but I think it only allows you to reschedule your holiday if this happens.

I'm going to look for something that allows you to cancel altogether.

amobseli because i haven't booked my Saturday holiday yet - i'm leaving it til after Thursdays annoucement incase Balaerics go amber (rumoured) and if quartantine for amber hasn't lifted by then.

Therefore i'll just go where ever is green!

Plus its 48 hour before arrival and obviously i want to allow for delays

If i did it 6pm Thursday then i'd have to fly by lunchtime Saturday which i may not do so ' about keeping my options open!

If you're booking 48 before on Thursday morning, you must be arriving in spain very early Saturday morning to make the 48 hour window?

We've just switched our holiday to Wales, couldn't work out how logistically we could do the tests, we needed extra due to overland travel (probably wouldn't be stopped but in theory need a new test for each country because we aren't eu!)

@Tatapie such a bummer but I guess as you said it’s best that you found out here rather than in Majorca. Good luck with the insurance ☺️

@Watapalava where did you hear those rumours?

Tiger just lots of comments online and in travel news about outbreaks and how case rate last few days is 3x what portugal was once it was taken off

Hopefully it'll be ok!

For those planning to get their pre coming back test in Majorca, DH has reported that his hairdresser said that friends of hers had to queue for two days to get them done and missed their return flight as a result. Oh and it cost them £200 each.There is a video lateral flow that you can do with one of the companies so that's what we'd opt for if going - although at this point I really could see it far enough.

@EmmaStone For the pre-departure test to get back into the UK. I'm going to buy the lateral flow tests before I leave the UK and take them with me. We're going with Jet2, and they have a link on their website to a company called BreatheAssured, which seem to be the cheapest.

We finally booked a holiday yesterday, after agonising over whether to go or not. Before we booked, we thoroughly researched the testing process and thought through all the possible worst case scenarios BUT I am now in a state of panic and wishing I'd not booked it! One thing I missed was the rumours about Majorca going amber, so now I'm panicking about the extra money for all the testing! - We can afford it and we can self-isolate, but I don't want to have to pay it or self-isolate if at all avoidable!

I'm convinced some weird situation is going to occur, that I've not thought of which means we'll lose all our money, even though I'm pretty certain this is not possible.

God, it's all such a mess. I actually wish the government had said "no foreign non-essential travel", rather than this traffic light system, which makes it feel like we can go abroad on holiday, but in practice it's a nightmare.

Following with interest
All being well we fly out on 15th July

@Watapalava I'm booking the test for 2pm on Thursday. Our flight is scheduled to land at 11.40am on Saturday so it will be around 46

whoops! 46 hours before arrival.

I think it will go amber too. Will quarantine and do test to release unless they bring on no need for double jabbed. Will just have to wait and see. I'd rather it went amber before we go tbh, might be slightly less stressful than if it happens while we're there.

Anyone in / near puerto pollensa there is a testing centre on the front, antigen tests 30euros results in 15 minutes . Appointment or walk in.