What happens to my COVID-19 test if the flight is late and my test becomes slightly more than 72 hours before departure?

[user70]

Does anyone have any experience with it? Or guidance from the embassy?

Edited March 7, 2021 by user70

[richard_smith237]

45 minutes ago, user70 said:

Does anyone have any experience with it? Or guidance from the embassy?

 

The question has multiple facets: 

 

The majority of Covid-19 certificates are dated, but don’t have a time on them, so the the 72 hrs really means 3 days. 

Thus, if your test was taken at 9am on 1st April you could theoretically travel at 10pm on 4th April (no one seems to be counting the hours, just the days)

 

IF you are already checked in and the flight is delayed by a few hours taking you over the 72 hr window, I don’t imagine there will be any issue. 

 

IF the flight is delayed to within the same day which takes you over the 72 hr window, I don’t imagine there will be any issue. 

 

IF a late night departure flight is delayed a few hours to the early hours of the next day which takes you over the 3 day window, I imagine there will be some flexibility.

 

IF the flight is cancelled to another day things could get sticky. There are other complexities and a whole can of worms opens up. 

 

- Re-book ASQ (what if no availability ??? thats why I’m recommended booking with agoda with 100% cancellation)

- Re-book flight (should be free and done with the airline)

- Embassy either permits travel on a different day with the same CoE or you apply for a new CoE and the application is fast tracked (note my application for CoE took a couple of hours, so the process can be very streamlined if the person on the other end has their finger on the ‘go button’).

 

 

Ultimately there are so many ‘what ifs’.............. my advice, only worry about what is within your control, otherwise you’ll start worrying about eveything and anything...  what if you have a flat tyre on the way to the airport and the spare is missing... etc etc.. 

 

What is in your control: 

Booking a Covid-19 test - getting the results within 48hrs so you have 24 hrs tolerance. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tuvoc]

On 3/7/2021 at 8:08 AM, richard_smith237 said:

What is in your control: 

Booking a Covid-19 test - getting the results within 48hrs so you have 24 hrs tolerance. 

 

 

Exactly what I did. Had the test 2 days before the flight with guaranteed results before 11pm the following day. The results actually came back about midday the following day.

[sqwakvfr]

My RT-:PCR test result in the US had the time when the swab sample was taken.  It also had date and time when the sample was tested.  

[Tuvoc]

On 3/8/2021 at 12:05 PM, sqwakvfr said:

My RT-:PCR test result in the US had the time when the swab sample was taken.  It also had date and time when the sample was tested.  

 

Yes. Every certificate should have the date and time, and the important bit is that the 72 hours is from the date and time the swab was taken, not the date and time the results were issues. That is my understanding.

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, Tuvoc said:

Every certificate should have the date and time, and the important bit is that the 72 hours is from the date and time the swab was taken, not the date and time the results were issues.

The rules state 72 hours before your first flight of your trip to here.

[treetops]

57 minutes ago, Tuvoc said:

 

Yes. Every certificate should have the date and time, and the important bit is that the 72 hours is from the date and time the swab was taken, not the date and time the results were issues. That is my understanding.

It's results issued according to IATA.

 

[radiochaser]

When and if, my wife and I go to Thailand this year, we may be able to have our tests done at the airport of departure.  I am not sure what kind of test it is though and if it is acceptable by the Thai government.  I don't remember what I read about that.  

If acceptable, hopefully the moderna vaccinations we received, will not cause a false positive.   

Not feeling like looking more into either of these at this moment.   Suffering from my, mostly normal, daily body aches, pains, lethargy after waking up from my sleep.    In my case, I think I am still suffering the after effects of a major health problem that required surgery, and from which the doctor told me could take several years to recover from.    At least I am not nearly passing out just from walking up stairs any more. 

 

[Dan O]

On 3/9/2021 at 11:15 PM, Tuvoc said:

 

Yes. Every certificate should have the date and time, and the important bit is that the 72 hours is from the date and time the swab was taken, not the date and time the results were issues. That is my understanding.

The Result is what the regulations call for not the time the swab was taken 

[cameozo]

I was just almost denied boarding because my test was taken more than 72 hours before.  It was issued less than 72 hours before.  Other countries seem to be requiring the test be taken less than 72 hours before (not issued) , so you may have issues with airline staff.  I was able to show the emails I got from Thailand and I believe the staff member looked it up also.   

[Tuvoc]

2 minutes ago, cameozo said:

I was just almost denied boarding because my test was taken more than 72 hours before.  It was issued less than 72 hours before.  Other countries seem to be requiring the test be taken less than 72 hours before (not issued) , so you may have issues with airline staff.  I was able to show the emails I got from Thailand and I believe the staff member looked it up also.   

Exactly. It is best to be totally safe and make sure you're within 72 hours of the swab being taken. That isn't hard when several companies offer results within 24 hours of the test. 

[user70]

On 3/10/2021 at 11:15 AM, Tuvoc said:

Every certificate should have the date and time,

Mine didn't have the time. Done at a large public testing site.

Edited March 22, 2021 by user70

[Tuvoc]

11 hours ago, user70 said:

Mine didn't have the time. Done at a large public testing site.

 

Public testing site implies that it was just done for domestic control purposes rather than for international travel purposes ?  Every company I enquired of in the UK when shopping around to get one specifically for travel all said the certificate would have date and time.