My arrival experience

I'm going to attempt to explain the current process at the airport as I've experienced it.

Qualifiers...
*I used Club Mobay so the process was made much easier for me especially towards the end which I'll explain.

*My situation is slightly different from a tourist as I have a home in Jamaica...but most of the steps on arrival into the Montego Bay (Sangsters) Airport are similar.

*I was not required to do a Covid test coming from Canada.
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Two days before arrival...
I opened the Visit Jamaica website, entered an email address for a code & then proceeded to answer all the required questions including immigration/customs form questions you'd normally fill out on the airplane.
*For tourists staying at hotels, villas, airbnb's...your property has to be on the list of Covid certified properties otherwise you will identify in another category and will be required to self isolate for 14 days.*

Once completed they sent a travel authorization almost immediately....I printed a hard copy. Others visitors that I noted, had downloaded it on their phone. https://travelauth.visitjamaica.com/

Day of travel....
I was required to arrive at the airport an extra 30 min. earlier than usual....hand sanitizer, masks (only removed if eating or drinking), Covid related questions, 2m or 6ft apart requirements etc were mostly being followed.

On the second leg of my flight they asked to see my travel authorization for Jamaica. On the plane...I was again required to fill out a hard copy of the immigration/customs form.

Once off the plane...I met my Club Mobay representative and was required to hand sanitize and my temperature was taken. I was given a small piece of paper with my temperature written on it.

We came to an area where soldiers were directing everyone and attempting to keep people 6ft apart. Club Mobay has a separate line for their guests and I hand sanitized again. Once at the desk they asked to see the paper with my temperature on it, asked where I was staying, asked how I was getting to my destination and confirmed whether each was Covid certified.

*For tourists not wanting to self isolate for 14 days...your hotel and driver have to be Covid certified. You'll be required to sign that you understand the rules of the Covid corridor and their Covid rules in general.*

*For those that stay long term or in a non Covid certified property...you'll be given a form to fill out twice a day with which you'll be required to write down your temperature for the next 14 days. Your driver still has to be Covid certified.*

Next stop is immigration...the line up was long. This is one area Club Mobay helped me timewise the most, as the regular line up was long. After hand sanitizing.... I was sent immediately to the immigration officer who of course asked regular immigration questions, but also asked to see my Travel Authorization confirmation.

After immigration....I passed the duty free shop and thought I should definitely stop & pick up some cheap Tito's...but, I got distracted having to hand sanitize again, then being asked for my temperature paper and then sent to speak to one of the soldiers. I'm a little vague about this procedure as I think it's a second desk area only for people staying long term or those that had to self isolate/quarantine. I was fortunate that the Club Mobay representative knew the procedure and he had a soldier load the Jamcovid app with GPS on my phone and away I went without having to sit down at a desk again. The app is required for their twice daily video check-ins for people needing to self isolate for 14 days.

Baggage area...
Same as usual...pick up your bags and proceed to the customs area. Once through....I headed straight for the Club Mobay lounge, filled two large beer mugs and was on my way.

It was kind of cool stepping out of the building and seeing so many driver's faces that I knew...everyone was so kind and excited...Club Mobay rep was confused and asked why so many knew me....felt important for a millisecond...lmao!!!

And please note...not one person in the airport can believe anyone is telling tourists not to come down! From the Club Mobay rep, to the immigration officer and the drivers that I asked about how they felt hearing there are people saying not to come down...they just shook their heads...

Ask any question you can think of that I may have missed....I'll do my best to answer or if anyone else can add more detail...please feel free.

Bnewb...did they ask you if you have had a flu shot? If you have had one, is that a good or bad thing from their perspective at immigration?

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Originally Posted by fargoman

Bnewb...did they ask you if you have had a flu shot? If you have had one, is that a good or bad thing from their perspective at immigration?

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They did not ask about a flu shot...and of course wouldn't, as it has nothing directly to do with Covid.

2 Questions, did you fly out of Toronto? As we will be coming via Calgary to Toronto then MBJ. Did you find the Toronto Airport easy to navigate restriction wise?

Also, is TimAir Covid approved? As we might use their service this year, seeing our trip has been shortened a day now, get to the resort a bit quicker.

Thanks for the insight!

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Originally Posted by stonyplainclint

2 Questions, did you fly out of Toronto? As we will be coming via Calgary to Toronto then MBJ. Did you find the Toronto Airport easy to navigate restriction wise?

Also, is TimAir Covid approved? As we might use their service this year, seeing our trip has been shortened a day now, get to the resort a bit quicker.

Thanks for the insight!

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Stony....Toronto was extremely easy to navigate. You may be asked to show your travel authorization as soon as you arrive in Toronto from Calgary...other than wearing your mask & hand sanitizing regularly, the process is painless.

I don't see TimAir on the list...I'm not even sure they're flying at all.

Below is the link to the the Covid certified properties, transportation & tours.
https://www.visitjamaica.com/travela...tion/#Approved

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stonyplainclint

2 Questions, did you fly out of Toronto? As we will be coming via Calgary to Toronto then MBJ. Did you find the Toronto Airport easy to navigate restriction wise?

Also, is TimAir Covid approved? As we might use their service this year, seeing our trip has been shortened a day now, get to the resort a bit quicker.

Thanks for the insight!

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Stony, Pearson is really easy to navigate. If its WJ all the way, get your boarding pass for the TO flight in Calgary and go straight to the gate.

Hi Lisa, thanks for all the great information. Did you notice when you applied for travel authorization if you are able to modify it if your flight information changes?? Such as flight # or if flight is delayed a day.

Are the JTL buses running or do you have to take a cab?

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Originally Posted by Rumlover

Hi Lisa, thanks for all the great information. Did you notice when you applied for travel authorization if you are able to modify it if your flight information changes?? Such as flight # or if flight is delayed a day.

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Your welcome, Rumlover.

The Travel Authorization certificate expired a few days after my actual travel date that I entered. They leave room for travel delays etc.

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Originally Posted by ger

Are the JTL buses running or do you have to take a cab?

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I didn't notice if the JTL buses are running at the airport.
They're on the approved Covid certified list...just contact them to confirm.

We were at Sunset at the Palms recently and planes were landing quite often right behind them (seemed like more than last time were there), not sure if it was TimAir planes but from the frequency it would seem to be more tourist related than scheduled flights.

" telling tourists not to come down"
Lisa, in Canada we are told repeatedly to "stay home", "stay home", "avoid all non essential travel " in order to slow the spread of Covid 19 and avoid a situation such has developed in the US.
Makes sense to me.

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Originally Posted by airswift

" telling tourists not to come down"
Lisa, in Canada we are told repeatedly to "stay home", "stay home", "avoid all non essential travel " in order to slow the spread of Covid 19 and avoid a situation such has developed in the US.
Makes sense to me.

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I was repeating what Jamaicans born and raised here told me as I arrived and on a regular basis...the ones that are reliant on tourism to feed and house themselves and their families.

While having to deal with Covid like the rest of the world...Jamaica is trying it's best to not starve it's people either.

I certainly have empathy for a country that's between a rock and a hard place.

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Originally Posted by Bnewb

They did not ask about a flu shot...and of course wouldn't, as it has nothing directly to do with Covid.

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They asked us if we had a flu shot...We have not...but it didn't seem to matter to them whether or not we had one. So, I am not sure why they asked.

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Originally Posted by Monty&Melo

They asked us if we had a flu shot...We have not...but it didn't seem to matter to them whether or not we had one. So, I am not sure why they asked.

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Bleepin' weird...I've asked a few others that went through recently...they weren't asked either! So, there ya go...🙄

Bnewb, thank you for your arrival share. As 'always' you and Robs information remains important as ever. We've decided on a last minute trip on 12/5. I usually have a long time friend (30yrs) pick us up at the airport. From what I've been reading that might be a problem. I have no problem arranging other means of transportation. Wondering your thoughts.

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Originally Posted by McLaren

Bnewb, thank you for your arrival share. As 'always' you and Robs information remains important as ever. We've decided on a last minute trip on 12/5. I usually have a long time friend (30yrs) pick us up at the airport. From what I've been reading that might be a problem. I have no problem arranging other means of transportation. Wondering your thoughts.

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McLaren...thank you for the kind comment.
If your driver is a member of Juta or Maxi...then you have no issues.
Juta and Maxi drivers are all certified. When you fill in the transportation information required for your travel authorization and when you're further questioned at the airport...you'll clarify your driver is part of Juta or Maxi...whichever they're associated. If they're not...choose another driver.

Bnewb, once again thank you, that reaffirms my understanding. Mi friend might be glad 'not' to make the trip for a change. Lol.......Respect

Thanks for the information rockstar!