[MartynSinclair]

Compared to the horrendous flight detailed this morning on another thread, this seems insignificant, but…

Why are airlines insisting on covid vaccine documents being re checked at check in, where there are no covid related entry requirements for the destination in question.

My vaccine documents were uploaded to Finnair, in London enabling me to bypass check in and download boarding cards for the outbound.

The return thus far, Thai Airways (BKK-SIN), allowed on line check in but refused to print my boarding cards & no, my online landing card for SIN was not checked or requested when I did check in.

Finnair, back to Helsinki and London, my covid vaccine certs needs to be rechecked in SIN meaning I need to check in to get boarding cards. The check in only opens 2 hours before departure, I was hoping to go airside 4 hours before flight to meet up with a colleague.

If I was travelling to HKG I understand the need to check in for document checks, but why are airlines needing to check documents for an arrival and transit to countries currently with no restrictions?

Travelling is hard enough at the moment..printing off online boarding cards to avoid check in, especially when there is no luggage to check in, just provides a little help.

2 users thanked author for this post.

DerekVH, cwoodward

[cybertravller]

Hi Martyn,

I think this is due to the utter confusion as to which country is doing related to Covid. Whilst there are mask restrictions in Colombia and Peru, there was no requirement to prove I was vaccinated. I did the CheckMIG for Colombia and the Health Declaration for Peru. Being a bit OCD on documents, I had it ready at Check-in at LHR T2. They checked EVERYTHING!

I suspect this butt-covering exercise by airlines will continue for a long time.

[CathayLoyalist2]

All this achieves is putting people off travelling. It highlights, not that it neeeds highlighting, that there are not the right people making what are customer focused decisions, but simply operational decisions because in the main they can get away with it. I have not seen an apology beyond the KLM CEO, seen here on another thread, from any other CEO. In fact I read over the weekend a withering indictment of Alan Joyce at Qantas. I can´t get over how similar he looks to Willie Walsh

1 user thanked author for this post.

DerekVH

[MartynSinclair]

As an update,I have been able to download my HEL – LHR boarding pass, but SIN -HEL,is not possible due to ‘covid pre check’.

Just nonsense….

[orlandpol]

useful information

[Krsnp]

Recently flew WizzAir (Abu Dhabi) from Muscat, and after successfully completing the entire online check-in procedure, I received something similar to a boarding pass but said “This is not a boarding pass”. Lo and behold, I had to go through the entire check-in procedure again at Muscat Airport while dropping off my luggage because, as the agent said, “Online check-in doesn’t mean anything. You have to check in again at the counter” #facepalm.

This was coming from an airline who explicitly says on their website (and during the online check-in reminder) that they charge an extra fee for in-person check-ins at the airport!

PS: And nope, the agent didn’t check our COVID-19 documents, or any other document for that matter (except our passport AND ticket!)

[MartynSinclair]

..and the answer about why I couldn’t print boarding cards off online for a departure from Singapore…… as told to me by Finnair check-in agent – the Singapore Government mandated (during covid) boarding cards can only be printed and issued at a check in desk – and no, there were no requests to see any covid vaccine certificates.

[fatbear]

When I recently flew BA to Antigua from Gatwick there were no checks of my vaccination status at all, only on arrival in Antigua………

[jsn55]

Nobody knows nothin’ … the mantra that will haunt travel for quite some time. The bureaucrats are reluctant to give up their power, they’ve had a great time over the last 3 years. And I absolutely agree … it is inhibiting the rebound of travel. Who wants to travel unless it’s required any more? Hotel restaurants are open a few hours a week, nobody will clean your room, and airport security is a worse experience than ever. This form is required, that doc must be uploaded, this must be scanned and submitted … nobody knows what’s required and nobody cares. The travel providers just take the path of least resistance to comply with whatever is thrown at them every week. It’s a damn shame.

[CathayLoyalist2]

Well maybe this is the time for IATA to step in and bang some governmental heads together. This should be right up Willie Walsh´s street!!

[maxgeorge]

If you’re headed to HND, NRT or any other destination in Japan, be sure to complete and upload or print the complete Covid documentation form beforehand.

I didn’t, and was consequently delayed on arrival, laboriously tapping away under supervision before being allowed to proceed to Immigration.

Full proof of 3 shots is required, issued by a governmental authority.

Thankfully however, once through, all travel restrictions ie quarantine, no public transport, pre-booking of accomodation etc, have been removed, as of Oct 11.

At ¥147 to the US$, Japan is not only as delightful as ever, but now quite a bargain.

[Author]

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