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What people can do is try to go to or from Europe via Madrid and then you can enter/leave the UK via train/chunnel. All the best.
London to Madrid is a thousand miles so not exactly next door. And that assumes there is room on the trains and on flights leaving Madrid. I would imagine that, given all the problems, that they would be packed.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaggy001
They do have ATMs in the UK. The procedure is remarkably similar to the USA. You go to ATM, insert card, type pin, get money. You then take money to shop and buy food. They also have credit cards and they, too, work the same way as in the USA.
They also have the NHS. If you are out of meds, you go to the ER, explain your situation, show them the med bottles and you get a prescription. You probably won't even get charged.
The problem is that many people are on visas and they leave the day or a day before their travel visa expires. If they are trapped in the airport, they cannot re-enter the country on an expired visa to go to the ER and they cannot leave because there are no flights. Therefore they are confined to the foreign side of the airport. Are unable to seek medical treatment, seek a hotel room, food (except for any eateries in the international terminal) or do anything.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
16,259 posts, read 24,763,471 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jaggy001
No joke .... despite what some say over here, the NHS works pretty well.
It works well for citizens of the UK. Not necessarily for citizens of other nations- especially Americans who are not even citizens of the EU. It is not like here in the USA where you can call a doctor and make an appointment. Now, from personal experience, in Canada they will see you if you are in pain but it will cost you $50 (CA). I don't know if they will see you at all in the UK or Europe. I have not been there since I was in the service in the 70s.
Location: Jonquil City (aka Smyrna) Georgia- by Atlanta
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It is time for the USA to put our foot down and tell the governments in Europe that we have people there and we are coming to get them out- and send military planes if need be to rescue them. If the governments over there cooperate, we will also give their nationals a free ride home on the same planes. But it is time to stop this non sense. Pilots have already stated that they are cool with flying through the stuff and they are ready to go.
It works well for citizens of the UK. Not necessarily for citizens of other nations- especially Americans who are not even citizens of the EU. It is not like here in the USA where you can call a doctor and make an appointment. Now, from personal experience, in Canada they will see you if you are in pain but it will cost you $50 (CA). I don't know if they will see you at all in the UK or Europe. I have not been there since I was in the service in the 70s.
The NHS will not turn anyone away and will treat a genuine emergency first and then sort out the paperwork second. However US citizens stuck in the UK will, ultimately, will be required to pay. That is what health insurance is for.
The problem is that many people are on visas and they leave the day or a day before their travel visa expires. If they are trapped in the airport, they cannot re-enter the country on an expired visa to go to the ER and they cannot leave because there are no flights. Therefore they are confined to the foreign side of the airport. Are unable to seek medical treatment, seek a hotel room, food (except for any eateries in the international terminal) or do anything.
US citizens do not require a visa to enter the UK. If they are on the foreign side of the airport all they need to do is to go through immigration again and explain to the officer what their situation is.
That said, you are right in that there are nationals from mainly Asian and African countries that will have a problem of this type. I would hope that countries would be sensible about the problem and that the embassies of the nationals concerned would be helping them.
It is time for the USA to put our foot down and tell the governments in Europe that we have people there and we are coming to get them out- and send military planes if need be to rescue them. If the governments over there cooperate, we will also give their nationals a free ride home on the same planes. But it is time to stop this non sense. Pilots have already stated that they are cool with flying through the stuff and they are ready to go.
The Israeli Government already did this for its citizens that were stuck in Europe a few days ago. The Israeli national airline El Al sent extra planes to the countries in Southern Europe where the airports were open to pick up their stuck citizens! See http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/137107
I don't think anyone in Europe is stopping the US from fetching their citizens home. But I haven't seen anything on the news about the government arranging for that to happen. The British Navy has been able to rescue some stranded Brits from Spain and they are on standby should they be needed again. The UK ferry companies are able to carry more than their usual legal limit of foot passengers and some have been rerouted to service additional European ports, but they are naturally stretched to capacity on their sailings for the next few days.
Per the BBC, this is apparently what the US is offering its citizens:
"The US embassy in London has urged the 40,000 Americans believed to be stranded in the UK to monitor media reports and travel websites.
It said if people needed help with medical issues, worsened by the flight disruptions, there was a useful list on the embassy's website.
It said if people needed financial assistance, then to contact family and friends either in the UK or the US."
Meanwhile, "For those overseas visitors who are worried about overstaying their visas, the UK Border Agency has said it understands this is an "exceptional circumstance".
It urged people to ensure that they kept any proof that they were planning to leave the UK before their visas expired."
I don't think anyone in Europe is stopping the US from fetching their citizens home. But I haven't seen anything on the news about the government arranging for that to happen. The British Navy has been able to rescue some stranded Brits from Spain and they are on standby should they be needed again. The UK ferry companies are able to carry more than their usual legal limit of foot passengers and some have been rerouted to service additional European ports, but they are naturally stretched to capacity on their sailings for the next few days.
Per the BBC, this is apparently what the US is offering its citizens:
"The US embassy in London has urged the 40,000 Americans believed to be stranded in the UK to monitor media reports and travel websites.
It said if people needed help with medical issues, worsened by the flight disruptions, there was a useful list on the embassy's website.
It said if people needed financial assistance, then to contact family and friends either in the UK or the US."
Meanwhile, "For those overseas visitors who are worried about overstaying their visas, the UK Border Agency has said it understands this is an "exceptional circumstance".
It urged people to ensure that they kept any proof that they were planning to leave the UK before their visas expired."
Update per the BBC: "The [US] Department of State said it was not evacuating its citizens from Europe.
But for those who are stranded and have run out of cash and credit, a limited amount of conditional emergency loans may be available."
Hopefully with all the trains and extra buses being laid on and ferries going back and forth non-stop this will start making a dent in the number of people stuck on the mainland. UK Airspace apparently opened fully as of 10pm local time tonight.
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