I’m back in Venice, starting to think about what to write next (I know I left my mojo here – just unsure where). I’ll let you know more about the state of the place in another letter when I’ve had time to think about it. But good news for once - in spite of all my fears getting here was probably the easiest flight out to Italy I’ve ever had - even through Heathrow, an airport I usually loathe.
Let me explain. A few days before I was due to fly (BA Club Class) they told me I needed to upload three pdfs in order to check in: the proof of double vaccination from the NHS app, a filled in
EU passenger locator form, and proof of a negative lateral flow test taken not more than 48 hours before arrival in Italy.
Bah, I thought. Another example of airlines making us do their work for them. Still it was easy enough to comply and the alternative was checking in at the airport with the printed copies I had already.
Then to Heathrow only to discover a friendly BA chap standing outside the entrance with his own bag drop. Had I checked in online? he asked. Well yes. In that case he could take my case right there with just my boarding pass and passport. It took a minute or two then I had my luggage tag and headed straight to Fast Track security. I was in the lounge no more than ten or fifteen minutes after getting out of the car. Since BA had all my necessary forms - and I presume passed them on to the relevant authorities - I never had to show a thing. At Marco Polo airport it was a quick scan of the egate, a stamp in the passport and then I was through, again in record time. The only slight oddity was that everyone on the plane had to fill in a paper form for the Italian authorities basically giving the same information you provided for the EU passenger locator form - which was a new one for me.
The kerbside check-in has been running for four months or so, the chap said. I hope it’s a permanent feature - and it appeared to be for all passengers, not just those in Club.
This is just BA and Heathrow, of course, but it’s nice to think something is getting better.