Jenny Sky Is The Limit

Amidst the ongoing global events, I embarked on a journey to reunite with my family and revisit my homeland after a two-year absence from ‘La Tierra del Encanto.’ Planning wasn’t without its challenges, as the uncertainties stemming from the current pandemic have made government regulations unpredictable.

As an Airline Fares Specialist, I take charge of planning all my personal and business trips. Today, I’d like to share my travel tales and travails as I navigated the challenges of reaching Colombia during these uncertain times. Join me on this journey of love for Colombia in the times of a pandemic, where a keen flyer finds her way home

At first, my plan was to fly with Avianca, the sole airline offering direct flights from London to Bogotá. However, given the challenges Avianca faced with support from the travel trade in the UK amid the ongoing pandemic, I opted to cancel my reservation and reorganize my journey with Iberia as an alternative. Little did I know then that later on, direct flights to Colombia would be prohibited due to a new variant of the youknowwhichvirus!

Opting for Iberia meant travelling via Madrid, which serves as the airline’s main airport hub. Although I made the reservation in October, I only issued my airline ticket at the beginning of December, just before the latest deadline to do so. Regrettably, news of a new variant strain of COVID-19 prompted the entire Europe to impose stringent travel restrictions on passengers arriving from the UK. Subsequently, some countries outside Europe also implemented similar measures.

Set to fly with Iberia via Madrid, Spain, I consistently monitored the travel regulations close to my departure dates. The latest UK foreign travel advice checked just before my journey, indicated that Spain was among the countries denying entry to UK passengers. However, I remained confident that connecting flights were acceptable since there was no official statement suggesting otherwise.

Just 24 hours before my flight, a routine check on Iberia’s web check-in, something I always do when travelling, turned out different this time. Attempting to secure my window seat, I encountered an unexpected obstacle. Iberia’s website didn’t allow me to complete the check-in process; there was only a warning about potential disruption. Though a sigh escaped me, I didn’t worry too much initially, attributing it to Iberia’s website glitches, which were not uncommon

The next morning, I arrived at Heathrow Terminal 5 for check-in, only to be met with shock, I was denied entry! 🤦🏻‍♀️ The initial leg of my London to Madrid itinerary was operated by British Airways, serving as a code-share that I had utilised to construct my travel plan. British Airways staff, equipped with a piece of paper detailing what appeared to be a new Spanish regulation, were screening documents before granting access to the check-in counter.

The regulation stated that not even connections were allowed via Spain. To my surprise, I was informed that the only way I could proceed with my journey to Colombia via Madrid was if I held both Spanish and Colombian passports. It seemed absurd, as I pondered whether the distinctive shape of C-19 was now aiding passport identification in infections. Despite the confusion, I clung to hope.

In a last-ditch effort, I presented evidence of my super-expensive negative PCR test result, conducted by a UKAS official test provider, taken less than 45 hours before my trip. Despite this, they still didn’t accept me and denied me boarding. While I understood it wasn’t their fault, it was at that moment that I realised common sense seemed to be lost in the process.

Adding to the ordeal, there was no Iberia staff available to provide last-minute advice or suggest alternatives. In a politely sarcastic tone, I was informed that I needed to contact the Iberia call centre to resolve the issue. Opting to avoid an argument, I took matters into my own hands. Having spent the last 9 months assisting travellers with similar issues, it was a challenge not to let the stress of these uncertain times overwhelm me. Instead of seeking someone to blame and criticising government responses, individual airlines, and staff, I decided to change my perspective. I asked myself, ‘What would Jenny do?’, pretending I was my own customer.

As my own travel planner and last-minute changer, I set up my mobile travel desk, accompanied by my trusty travel buddy (my laptop). Finding a relatively quiet corner in Heathrow Terminal 5, I promptly documented my experience with Iberia, cancelled the ticket, and requested a full refund. With my mobile travel desk fired up, I dove into a speedy travel search using my GDS, Amadeus. Before that, I meticulously documented my experience with Iberia. My speedy last-minute search involved checking all possible options in Amadeus, a quicker process for me than traditional online research. Additionally, I verified the current government regulations on various official websites. My typing fingers danced across several European hubs, yet I found no viable options due to stringent regulations. Exploring routes via the USA yielded several possibilities, but, as you might know, this country has been denying entry to UK passengers since the beginning of the pandemic, a restriction not solely attributed to the new variant

Exploring options via South America, I discovered that major hubs like Santiago in Chile, Buenos Aires in Argentina, and Rio and São Paulo in Brazil had recently adopted copycat European restrictions, denying entry to UK passengers. Turning to Mexico, which required only a negative PCR test, I found the route overpriced. Additionally, I would have needed an extra leg from Mexico to Bogotá with either Avianca or Aeromexico. Uncomfortable with these choices, given my reservations about both airlines, I decided against that route.

Reflection time took place, then recalling that Turkish Airlines began operations in Bogotá in 2016, I attempted to include it in my search. Although it didn’t automatically appear in my Amadeus availability search, I forced it using the /TK (Turkish airline IATA Code) voila! It showed up. It was now 10 am, and I still needed to confirm whether Turkey would allow UK passengers connections via Istanbul, as government websites lacked clarity on the matter.

The Turkish Airlines flight I identified was set to depart at 11:35! With minimal time to think, decide, and dash from Heathrow Terminal 5 to Heathrow Terminal 2, I had to navigate the Underground with my three pieces of baggage. Phew! What a rush! But, against the clock, I managed. Reserving my journey in Amadeus, I sought confirmation from Turkish Airlines staff before issuing the ticket. The supportive lady at the check-in counter conducted all necessary checks and assured me that the entire journey was indeed possible. She only requested I show her the Check-Mig registration, and that was all. Phew! Although taking a Euro-Asian route to Latin America is far from the norm, it proved to be a great choice for me. Istanbul Havalimanı, a brand-new facility with state-of-the-art amenities, replaced the old and overwhelmed Istanbul Ataturk in April 2019.

The flight from London Heathrow to Istanbul spanned 3.5 hours, followed by a 7-hour layover. I utilised this time to relish the spacious VIP lounge and engage in some last-minute shopping for my beautiful niece. The subsequent long-haul flight from Istanbul to Bogotá extended over 13.5 hours. Despite being considerably longer than routes via typical European hubs, the entire journey was perfectly fine. For those familiar with my love for exploring airlines, airports, routes, and aeroplanes, this experience was akin to Disneyland for me.

I considered myself blessed with good luck as I boarded two of the latest-generation aircraft currently on the market, both designed to reduce carbon emissions by at least 25%. For the London Heathrow to Istanbul leg, I was on the Airbus A350-900, a brand-new plane that Turkish Airlines had received less than three months ago. During boarding, I was handed a hygiene kit containing two small bottles of alcohol, wipes, and a few mandatory medical face masks. The flight attendant’s appearance resembled a character from my son’s favourite Nintendo game, ‘Among Us.’ Check it out to understand what I mean!

While seated at my window, I was fortunate enough to witness the most magnificent sunset. The hues of the sky painted a breathtaking picture, creating a moment of tranquillity and beauty that left a lasting impression.

For the long-haul flight from Istanbul to Bogotá, I had the pleasure of flying aboard the Boeing 787-900, the main competitor of the A350-900. After resting comfortably for over 10 hours, as we soared over the Caribbean skies, I was blessed to witness the most wonderful sunrise! 🥳 It felt like the universe was extending a welcoming greeting into the continent, and I was truly delighted by the view.

The only small downside was that I couldn’t enjoy a decent meal onboard due to the hurried nature of my trip. There wasn’t enough time to order my vegan food. Nevertheless, this was a minor issue compared to the pleasure of a great journey aboard one of the most modern aircraft out there and the opportunity to once again witness the beauty of the Earth’s skyline. What more could I ask for?

Upon entering Colombia, I encountered a predictable issue due to the regulations surrounding the new variant strain. As expected, there were entry restrictions in place. Despite being aware of this risk when deciding to visit Colombia at this particular time, I had a feeling that the Colombian migration authorities’ common sense would prevail. I was willing to take this risk, fully aware that inadequate documentation could have resulted in my return to the UK. During questioning, I provided evidence of my negative PCR test, which later proved to be helpful. Interestingly, this PCR test wasn’t actually a requisite for entry into Colombia at the time of my arrival (although, at the time of writing).

“El Dorado airport has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to following IATA/ICAO Covid Airports Guidelines. I was thoroughly impressed by the spotlessly clean areas and the continuous disinfecting processes. Well done, Bogotá! Having traversed through various airports in Europe throughout 2020, I must say El Dorado is significantly ahead of them. Who would have thought? Well done👏

Health authorities meticulously validated my test, conducted a temperature check, and engaged in several calls during the entry process. I assume these precautions were taken because I was the only passenger on that flight whose journey originated in the UK. As mentioned, travelling to Colombia via Turkey is not a typical route

After some internal discussions and additional checks, the sound judgment of migration authorities prevailed, and they granted me entry into the country. I love it when my intuition proves to be right! Although I was requested to quarantine for 14 days despite testing negative for Covid, the fact that they allowed me in, I had made it!!!!!!!!!. The END.

 😅 Thanks for reading !

“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. ” – Anthony Bourdain

Love ❤️

from

Jenny