Answered5 years ago
What should I do if airline staff insist on incorrect Thailand quarantine requirements?
So we've started our journey-bhd-edin-doha-bkk. Checking in in Belfast the ground staff(Swissport) insisted we needed 7day quarantine hotel booking.i explained that this is not the case for fully vaccinated from UK, 1 night being sufficient. She and her supervisor insisted saying that all airlines use info for travelling requirements from a site called traveldoc.aero and that it is updated every hour with current regulations. There was no way to convince them my hotel booking was correct. They were throwing out phrases such as£10,000fine to airlines who don't comply to the rules. As a result we had to book an Agoda hotel for 7 nights to get on the flight! I'm now sitting on plane from Edinburgh to Doha, no documents were checked in Edinburgh.
Answer summary
A traveler shared their experience at Belfast airport where check-in staff insisted on a 7-day quarantine hotel booking despite being fully vaccinated, citing regulations from an outdated source. Despite showing correct information regarding Thailand's 'Test and Go' scheme, the staff refused to accept it, leading the traveler to book a longer hotel stay to board the flight. The discussion reveals frustrations over inconsistent information from airlines and the challenges expats face when navigating travel requirements to Thailand.
44 repliesnewest first
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Pauline *******
OPJust a quick update. Finally got Aer Lingus to take on my complaint. Their latest reply states 'this case had been escalated' and is being reviewed. Sounding a bit hopeful, though I have found airlines notoriously difficult to convince they're in the wrong. We shall see!
Pauline *******
OPI was checking a preflight email from Qatar reminding you to checkyour travel requirements. They recommend IATA for all such checks. I mean you would imagine that would be the go to site for world travel. On IATA site they have an interactive map with all relevant information per country and it states 1 day quarantine, it says it's updated in real-time too. Getting all my ducks in a row here for my fight with BHD!
Michael ********
@Pauline ******
yes IATA is the go to for most airlinesPauline *******
OP@Michael *******
I know you would think! But according to them ALL airlines,and they emphasized the ALL, use that obscure site!Michael ********
@Pauline ******
i had never heard of it until your post, like i said i would complain seriously about it.Declan ***********
Pauline…… Feel for you…… I went through London City airport and was a smooth Process ……. I said “Is that it”….. “Yess”….. Lovely lady just scanned my Thai pass - Very Simple….. Sorry 😞 to see the par lava you went through…. That was the whole idea of the fecking Thailand Pass…… Bless ☘️
Pauline *******
OP@Declan **********
Exactly I wouldn't have had the Thai pass if I hadn't met all requirements!Pauline *******
OPAm a happy woman, my laundry lady cleaned condo for me, thankfully cos I didn't fancy returning to rooms full of creepy-crawlies, went and renewed motorcycle tax and now going to relax and sort out my firestick. Yes I know, I live on the edge!😜
Declan ***********
@Pauline ******
- Yes - 100%
Floris ***************
Hello. I like to know what happened when you arrived in Thailand? Did you only do the one day quarantaine and pcr test?
Pauline *******
OP@Floris **************
Yes my hotel had transport at airport and everything went smoothly,1night at hotel and out.Floris ***************
@Pauline ******
ok great good to hear that. I will fly this Saturday so that's why I asked. Have a nice Holliday
Joan *********
I assume you flew Qatar?
Pauline *******
OP@Joan ********
yes. Everything else ok. At hotel,one night, booking not questioned at BKKCameron **********
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Pauline *******
OPThey insisted this is the only information they go by.werent prepared to check anything else when I showed them correct information on Thai Embassy site.
Jon *****
@Pauline ******
Unbelievable 😕Cameron **********
@Pauline ******
this is from travel-doc-aero (Thailand page) badly worded but applies to 1 day test & go.The requirement to stay within any of the above countries for 21 days prior to departure does not apply to nationals and residents of Thailand, provided they travel from Thailand to an approved country and return within the last 21 days. These passengers must hold the following documents:
A Covid-19 vaccination certificate proving that at least 14 days have elapsed since the first dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine or the second dose of the AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sinopharm, Sinovac or Sputnik vaccine, or a Medical Certificate of Recovery for passengers who have recovered from Covid-19 no later than 3 months. Unvaccinated passengers aged 11 years and younger can enter provided accompanied by a vaccinated adult;
Covid-19 travel insurance certificate; and
Booking confirmation of a SHA++ Hotel booking and a required RT-PCR test at the hotel. Passengers must stay in their booked accommodation until receiving the test results within one day.
Michael ********
@Cameron *********
wow thats totally out of date
Martin ********
@Cameron *********
Wow. Out of date, inconsistent, and ambiguous. May God have mercy on our souls.Cameron **********
@Martin *******
luckily not all airlines will use this information as gospel... I'm flying with Qatar on Sunday so just checked:Effective 1 November,2021, travellers traveling under Test and Go scheme should provide a confirmed payment for a 1-night stay at SHA+, AQ, OQ, or AHQ accommodation, and 1 RT-PCR test.
Cameron **********
What airline did you fly from Edinburgh..
Pauline *******
OP@Cameron *********
set lingus but it was Swiss port who were check in staffPauline *******
OPIn Doha now waiting to board for BKK
Pauline *******
OPThey were totally intransigent, wouldn't even phone to double check any other sources
Cameron **********
@Pauline ******
Travel doc aero... Travel information to Thailand was allegedly updated on *****
/22. Its badly worded, outdated and there is no mention of the 1 day test and go AQ.Cameron **********
*****
/21....no glasses..
Brian *****************
Nightmare
Michael ********
Did you get there names ?
I would complain about this
I would complain about this
Pauline *******
OP@Michael *******
I've emailed Swiss port and will be emailing customer service at George best airport.
Martin *********
Just edit your older airbnb travel document. But anyway I would insist on their names and officially complaint to the airline
Ian *********
If you didn't have everything required why would you receive your Thailand pass!
Ian *********
How long would it take them to check with someone who actually knows at their hq or rte
DIDNT WANT TO LOOK STUPID ?
DIDNT WANT TO LOOK STUPID ?
Pauline *******
OPIt's the fact that they weren't prepared to check other sources when theirs differed from Embassy website. It was so frustrating.
Ian *********
Airline staff cant see the obvious ?
Stuart *********
Unfortunately airlines aren’t always clued in on current rules. I don’t know the site you mention. But just making a booking of a hotel at the check in desk seems silly. They should know your ThailandPass is linked to a hotel booking as well as flight and insurance details.
Carl ***********
On agonda dont you have x amount of days to cancel for a refund? Or is it to late? Not totally clued up on agonda
Pauline *******
OP@Carl **********
too short noticeCarl ***********
@Pauline ******
:-(Pauline *******
OP@Stuart ********
she and her supervisor weren't interested in it. They checked vaccine, insurance,visa and then hotel booking. They kept going on about this website that ALL airlines use and is updated every hour! Wouldn't accept what was on Thai Embassy website in black and white! I've emailed Swissport about it and will let you know how it goes.Pauline *******
OPI've written to them, no reply. It's actually Swiss port who are a like a airport management company who deal with check-ins etc so not even the airline we were flying with.
John ******************
@Pauline ******
I would sue Swissair.Activity
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