Anyone been to Florida recently?

[Dacoops321]

Good evening/morning for you guys!

I have been in Florida since February, moved here with work before Covid turned the world upside down! My family have been here for a week.

My family have just been on an epic journey to join me here...

We had it all planned out, 15 days (has to be 14 clear days so can not include day of travel) in barbados and direct to Miami. We used Qured (london) for Covid PCR test - can recommend them! Everything was sorted!

Family get to Barbados and American airlines cancel their flight into miami, without so much as a word. Fortunatley the night i planned to do the API with my wife on facetime she didnt want to do it. So we left it a few days, when we logged on to do it the flight had gone. Frantic call to AA who ensured us that we could change our flights to a few days later. The good package deal we had for hotel - the rate had changed, cost us $1450 for 3 extra nights for 4 people! Wary of what had happened, kept checking the flights - one day, they had disappeared again! As before not a word from AA. This time, AA said that the Barbados Govt have banned ALL airlines from the US landing in the country. So no flights in = no flights out!

I had to book my family flights to Kingston on caribbean airlines, a hotel in the city for one night and then flights into Miami.

You’d think after this epic journey all would be good.


Immigration was quite the grilling for them, all while im sat in arrivals in Miami. My family all have L2 visas and it took quite a lot of convincing and evidence to allow them to enter!

I hate to rain on anyones parade... I would just be very careful and mindful you may have to be extremely flexible. Perhaps look at Jamaica as your 15 day diversion... you have to have had a covid test within 10 days and stay in authorized hotels and resorts. Then just be hopeful that all goes well at Miami.

Do you not have a management company that you could get to check up on the place for you?

[Dacoops321]

Forgot to mention...

When i looked for insurance for my families journey. It seemed no where would cover Covid related problems.

So you may well have to travel on risk like we did.

[stanleycamel]

Barbados Tourist Board told me that only Jet Blue service BGI at the moment 4 times a week from NYC but American Airlines are scheduled to start up sometime next week from Florida.

But Dacoops321 description of their attempt provides a valuable insight into what could happen.

[SteveC]

We were up for going on Friday 2 Oct with my wife travelling on to Miami thereafter with American Airlines but mindful of the ever changing situation and the specific warning above that the Barbados gov’t might reclassify the UK as high risk, we decided we wouldn’t book anything until Monday.

The Barbados gov’t have reclassified us as high risk from 1 Oct which would mean a 5 day stay at a designated quarantine hotel on arrival. All flights prior to 1 Oct have disappeared as BA have probably brought holidays forward and a plan B holiday via St.Lucia is now just ridiculously expensive as I’m sure October BA Barbados customers have probably switched to there to avoid quarantine.

It was all a nice to do rather than need to do so we’ll make the most of this weekend in Rhyl as that’s the furthest we’re going to get away to for a long time.

[Donaldfan]

Originally Posted by SteveC

We were up for going on Friday 2 Oct with my wife travelling on to Miami thereafter with American Airlines but mindful of the ever changing situation and the specific warning above that the Barbados gov’t might reclassify the UK as high risk, we decided we wouldn’t book anything until Monday.

The Barbados gov’t have reclassified us as high risk from 1 Oct which would mean a 5 day stay at a designated quarantine hotel on arrival. All flights prior to 1 Oct have disappeared as BA have probably brought holidays forward and a plan B holiday via St.Lucia is now just ridiculously expensive as I’m sure October BA Barbados customers have probably switched to there to avoid quarantine.

It was all a nice to do rather than need to do so we’ll make the most of this weekend in Rhyl as that’s the furthest we’re going to get away to for a long time.

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At least you're going away. Loads of us aren't so you are very lucky.

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by Donaldfan

At least you're going away. Loads of us aren't so you are very lucky.

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He said he’d moved with work

[stanleycamel]

Originally Posted by stanleycamel

SteveC - there are vague rumours going around that the UK will be moved from medium risk to high risk by the Barbados government. It is purely rumour but keep an eye for any prospective changes. Visitbarbados.org has a very comprehensive page on entry requirements if you haven't seen it already.

Hope your plan works out for you both,

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No longer a rumour - from 1st October the UK will move from medium to high risk for travel to Barbados.

Even with proof of a negative Covid PCR test on arrival, being in this category now means a requirement to quarantine in a government-designated “holding hotel or approved villa at their own expense, or free of charge at a government facility”. Now UK arrivals under the high-risk categorisation will have to take a mandatory second test four to five days after the first accepted negative test. If the second test proves negative then quarantine will no longer be required.

The travel advice on the UK FCDO site has been amended to reflect this change.