I recently travelled overseas and had some requests to share “tips” on what the experience was like with regards to documents, airports and anything else that might help fellow International travellers. So here goes…
Johannesburg, South Africa (18 November 2021) – Many South Africans will be taking to the skies this December as they make their way to holiday destinations, but what does that mean as a passenger, and what can you expect while flying internationally in these COVID times.
Air travel, by its very nature, puts people in close physical proximity to strangers, which can increase your chances of contracting any contagious disease. The same is true of travel in buses and taxis or visiting shopping malls and other busy places. Guided by the World Health Organisation’s regulations, South Africa gradually started to re-open its international borders after closing them to manage COVID-19 infection rates.
I recently travelled overseas and had some requests to share “tips” on what the experience was like with regards to documents, airports and anything else that might help fellow International travellers. So here goes…
Get your docs in order (and make copies)
You will need quite a few documents while travelling, and most places – airports, restaurants and tourist destinations – do not accept digital copies, so make sure you have a hard copy of these docs.
- Travel documents
- Passports, Tickets and Visas (if needed)
- Vaccination cards
- Print your digital copy AND make a copy of the original card.
- COVID tests
- A traveller may have to provide a valid certificate with a negative COVID-19 test outcome, recognised by the World Health Organisation or equivalent local accredited authority obtained not more than 72 hours before the date of travel.
- It is different for every countries so you will need to check with the airline that you are flying with. We needed a test for the UK, Mauritius and our upcoming trip to Namibia. The airline staff checked this when we left South Africa and again on our way back.
- Exit South Africa form
- This can be found at the airport, but pre-printing and filling out this form before the time is a massive time saver. You can find the form by clicking here.
- Arrival form
- This is for the country you are visiting and can usually be found on the country’s government website or at the airport (or given to you on the aeroplane).
- Leaving visiting country form
- This is for the country you are visiting and can usually be found on the country’s government website or at the airport (or given to you on the aeroplane).
- Arrival back in South Africa form
- This is the same as the exit form, so print 2.
- Travel insurance
- This is important in case you get COVID and need to be quarantined in a hotel for 10 days.
On that note… pack that additional underwear and things (books, iPads etc) in case you do get quarantined.
We didn’t get quarantined, but a friend did, and she was stuck in a hotel room for 10 days.
She was fed 3 times a day but was not allowed to leave the room. She had to wash her own clothes in the bath and clean the room herself. It was not fun, but luckily she did not need hospitalization and has fully recovered.
The point here is if you do pick up COVID along the way, you will be required to quarantine before being allowed to continue your holiday or head back home.
Get to the airport 3 hours before you fly.
All passengers are screened upon entering the terminal building. Everyone must wear a mask to be permitted inside the terminal building. Passengers who have a temperature higher than 38 degrees will not be permitted to enter the airport. Passengers are asked to ensure they adhere to the physical distancing of 1.5meters.
The airline staff check all the documents listed above, which does take up more time than it normally would, so get there early, and you should have a stress-free experience.
Surgical Masks
Remember your surgical masks for the flight. And more for the trip. And extra just in case.
We’ve been wearing masks for so long that many of us have forgotten why we are actually wearing them, but when we were picked up at the airport by our taxi driver (in Mauritius) – even though we had masks on – he asked us to please keep wearing them “to protect him from getting sick, in order for him to keep being able to work” and it hit like a nail on the head.
We’re wearing masks to protect others. So pack extra, and keep wearing them.
Remember no Renting
Yup, this is something we didn’t plan for, so we couldn’t snorkel while on the island. We were allowed to rent Scuba Gear, which was doused in sanitiser, but the smaller things were not allowed to be shared.
So pack all the stuff you would normally rent as these things are no longer available to rent/share (snorkelling gear, frisbees etc.)
Vaccination Card
Oh, and remember to keep a copy of your vaccination card on you. Many restaurants and tourist sites ask to see this before allowing you in.
Again, I am sure this is just to protect other patrons in these establishments, but by keeping a copy of your card on you, you’ll never be turned away from a bar (unless you’re under 18).
Extra Costs
Plan for the costs of the tests… and there are loads of tests.
We had a PCR test before we left (in South Africa), 2 Rapid Antigen Tests during our stay (both at the hotel – on arrival and then on day 5), and another PCR test to get back home 72 hours before our flight.
We paid for the PCR tests ourselves, and the hotel picked up the cost of the Rapid Antigen Tests, but this may not always be the case.
My fiance went to the UK 4 weeks ago and had to pick up the costs for all the tests himself.
Conclusion
It’s a little bit more admin (than normal) but it doesn’t change the fact that travelling overseas, going on a new adventure or seeing family and friends is like chicken soup for the soul.
I came back to South Africa feeling like a new person.
It’s was our first holiday in 2 years… after being locked away, while we played our part in this pandemic. It’s taken a long time but I think we’re moving to that new normal where we can do things like travel, give hugs and live again.
And good grief, it felt so damn good.
** Please remember that this is only my experience with travelling to Mauritius, the UK and Namibia. You will need to check with your travel partners or on the government website for the country you are traveling to. These regulations also change often so use this as a guideline but please double check with the airline you have booked with.
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