Will airlines accept a Certificate of Recovery for flying to Thailand instead of a negative PCR test?

Jan 2, 2022
3 years ago
Lizzie ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I realise that a PCR is usually required for a flight BUT if you have recently recovered from covid ( I have it now) you cannot get a -ve test result for some months even though you clearly aren’t infectious - that is why theThai government do accept a certificate of recovery as an alternative and you don’t need a PCR test on arrival in this case . My question is will the airlines accept a certificate of recovery too?
1,315
views
3
likes
39
all likes
24
replies
1
images
12
users
TLDR : Answer Summary
The conversation centers around whether airlines will accept a Certificate of Recovery as an alternative to a negative PCR test for flights to Thailand. While the Thai government allows this certificate on arrival, many airlines, including Qatar and Emirates, do not accept it, requiring travelers to provide a negative PCR test instead. It is suggested that travelers check directly with their airlines and consider transit countries' regulations, as these can influence what documentation is necessary.
Heidi *****
@Lizzie *****
, I'm in the same situation... are you sure that the Certificate of Recovery exempts you from taking the PCRs on arrival? I didn't find any official sources that state this. Could you please share the source? 🙂 At the moment I'm not sure if I should risk traveling or not because of this piece of the puzzle, I don't want to end up in a long quarantine or with a big hospital bill considering I'm perfectly healthy now haha.
Heidi *****
Cool, thanks so much Lizzie! I think the part that is still unclear is what happens if you test positive *after* you arrive. This just says you'll be admitted to Thailand with a positive test + certificate of recovery. I haven't seen anywhere in clear terms that people with the Recovery Certificate are exempt from taking the PCR on arrival, and what would happen if you do test positive while in the Sandbox or AQ. Still seems risky, as I've heard the protocol is to take you to the hospital with a very expensive deposit.
Lizzie ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Heidi ****
I think I got this from the Thai gov website. I screen shot it at the time. The left column was for unvaccinated and the right for vaccinated - hope that helps
Joanne ************
Hey I am in the same position and called Emirates. They said they are not accepting the letter of recovery when transiting through Dubai 😩 so now trying to find an airline which will so I can try and sort getting back. If anyone has any experience of an airline which will accept the letter of recovery please let me know.

*Waiting it out is not an option as I am a teacher in an international school and need to be back as soon as possible to teach or my job is at risk.
Lizzie ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Joanne ***********
that’s tough - I have no time constraints. Good luck
Lizzie ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks alll - Just called and Qatar airlines need a negative PCR test and won’t accept certificate
Geoff ******
@Lizzie *****
qatar have told me catagorically that they do not have any rules other than you need to meet the requirements of your destination country
Heidi *****
Oooh.. good to know. I was also planning to fly with Qatar, so I guess that's a no-go for now.
Christina *********
@Lizzie *****
this is who I’m travelling with.

Do you know if there was a minimum time between infection and when you can fly?
Lizzie ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Christina ********
I think it can take up to 90 days as the PCR picks up dead virus particles. 🤦‍♀️
Christina *********
@Lizzie *****
yes it can you have to hope
Bob **********
Read people with certificate of recovery , still having to take pcr test . Testing positive and still having to go hospital
Niclas ***********
One family ran into problems another couple didn't. I would plan to clear it all in Phuket or Bangkok (Not an option now).

It might be worthwhile using the services of
******************


Send them a query maybe they handled this situation and got the right connections.

Good luck!
Jenni ******
@Niclas **********
test n go not an option at the moment
Niclas ***********
@Jenni *****
this page is for sandbox also...
Jenni ******
@Niclas **********
didn't say it wasn't
Dan ************
It will likely depend on the airline, especially if you are transiting through another country. If that country does not accept certificates of recovery then I’d assume the airline won’t accept it either. Best to check with the airline directly.
Lizzie ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Lynnette *******
You can take a test but they advise it may be positive. Think some people do a few free tests before attempting the one for travel. But it's risky
Christina *********
@Lynnette ******
good idea. I will try and get hold of a free test!
Lizzie ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Michael ********
There have been lots of posts this week about this.

Tagged your post into same topic
Lizzie ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
James ********
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
... members · 60% approval rate
The Thai Visa Advice And Everything Else group allows for a broad range of discussions on life in Thailand, beyond just visa inquiries.
Join the Group
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else
View the Conversation
Thai Visa Advice and Everything Else