Question about QF9 MEL-DRW-LHR

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mviy

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Flying soon on QF9 from MEL to LHR. England only requires a day 2 test after arrival. But will I still need a pre-departure COVID test to transit via DRW (only about 1.5 hours on the ground) or will the international vaccination certificate be all I need?
 
Does the brief stop in Darwin for ~ 90 minutes affect this at all?

I don’t want to get tested if I don’t have to but if Darwin requires it for even that brief stop I’d need to do it anyway.
 
Does the brief stop in Darwin for ~ 90 minutes affect this at all?

I don’t want to get tested if I don’t have to but if Darwin requires it for even that brief stop I’d need to do it anyway.
Negative!
 
Check out this thread, for a recent experience on flying to the UK, and back via Darwin on the way home on QF1
 
Hi, a new member here.... I'll be making pretty much the same journey next week, flying from Adelaide and picking up the QF9 from Melbourne for the onward trip to Heathrow. I'd love to hear your experience of transiting in Darwin, in particular whether you needed that PCR test for the Darwin stop. The NT health hotline have told me it's not needed (however, the girl wasn't too sure and had to check with her colleague, which didn't inspire confidence). I also note that Franky says Negative, so I'm hopeful it really isn't needed. Nevertheless, with no clear directive being written down anywhere I am a nervous wreck. I'll get one done just in case, but that leads to another question... does it need to be a paid test with a certificate or do they accept the SA Health free test, with confirmation to your phone of the negative result? Cheers, Tjw
 
Hi, a new member here.... I'll be making pretty much the same journey next week, flying from Adelaide and picking up the QF9 from Melbourne for the onward trip to Heathrow. I'd love to hear your experience of transiting in Darwin, in particular whether you needed that PCR test for the Darwin stop. The NT health hotline have told me it's not needed (however, the girl wasn't too sure and had to check with her colleague, which didn't inspire confidence). I also note that Franky says Negative, so I'm hopeful it really isn't needed. Nevertheless, with no clear directive being written down anywhere I am a nervous wreck. I'll get one done just in case, but that leads to another question... does it need to be a paid test with a certificate or do they accept the SA Health free test, with confirmation to your phone of the negative result? Cheers, Tjw
You don't need a PCR test landing in DRW as you have already left the country technically in MEL.
You also do not need any PCR test or Rapid Antigen test to land into the UK.

IF you did need a test done for international travel, then it MUST be a private collection and must be on a report. Text messages are not acceptable.
IF you did get a test done, do it at the airport, their services are fantastic and only $79 for a PCR test now, and <1hr turn around.

 
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Hi, a new member here.... I'll get one done just in case, but that leads to another question... does it need to be a paid test with a certificate or do they accept the SA Health free test, with confirmation to your phone of the negative result? Cheers, Tjw
@TheInsider has answered the international travel test requirements and I will not add to that.

I am ADL based and about 2 months back when getting tested (Victoria Park site) I asked about getting getting a hard copy report and was advised yes it could be provided. I was tested in SA today and asked about this as I was keen to see the report however was advised that the rules had recently changed and I would need to get in contact with SA Pathology (Frome Rd) the cost is $140 and needs to be booked and paid for in advance. I am sure there are other threads that have detailed SA testing locations and costs. IIRC SA did provide this service free of charge prior to the general boarder opening last week and may have changed the rules so that the Government is not funding tests for personal travel. The arrival test requirement is still covered at the drive through facilities.
 
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I would need to get in contact with SA Pathology (Frome Rd) the cost is $140 and needs to be booked and paid for in advance. I am sure there are other threads that have detailed SA testing locations and costs. IIRC SA did provide this service free of charge prior to the general boarder opening last week and may have changed the rules so that the Government is not funding tests for personal travel. The arrival test requirement is still covered at the drive through facilities.

SA Pathology were doing it free of charge throughout the pandemic for departure testing and they probably billed it as symptomatic testing to Medicare. The downside was you could only get a certificate during Mon-Fri business hours.
 
I didn’t have a test before departure. I booked a test through a provider that does tests at Heathrow airport for my Day 2 test in the UK. You want to have that PCR test as soon as you arrive as you need to do quarantine until that comes back negative. The day 2 test can be taken at any time on Day 0 to 2.
 
Thanks so much for the tip about the Heathrow pcr test. I've got two more questions... was there an option to stay on the plane in Darwin? And did you apply for an NT border permit given that it was only a transit stop? For someone who has flown internationally many times, this particular trip has got me completely stressed out.
 
You do not stay on a plane (regulations about refuelling), and you aren't "entering" the NT so you don't need any kind of permits. Really you can just ignore the NT part of your trip - there's nothing you need to do in Darwin except follow the crowds from plane to holding area and then back to the plane.
 
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