Thai People Pre Flight Covid Test.

[Jumbo1968]

Are Thai Air the only airline which doesn’t require a Covid Test for Thai people  travelling to Thailand ? I am thinking of travelling back with my Thai partner and son but don’t want to be on a flight with possible potential of picking Covid from a Thai passenger.

[ubonjoe]

Thai's traveling on semi commercial flights have a have a covid 19 test. The also need a reservation at a ASQ hotel.

Info is here on the embassy in US website in Thai. https://thaiembdc.org/th/2020/12/03/semicomflights/

[Jumbo1968]

5 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Thai's traveling on semi commercial flights have a have a covid 19 test. The also need a reservation at a ASQ hotel.

Info is here on the embassy in US website in Thai. https://thaiembdc.org/th/2020/12/03/semicomflights/

Thanks Joe,  I will wait till B.A. resume flights to BKK with a connecting flight from Newcastle.

[mlkik]

27 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Thai's traveling on semi commercial flights have a have a covid 19 test. The also need a reservation at a ASQ hotel.

Info is here on the embassy in US website in Thai. https://thaiembdc.org/th/2020/12/03/semicomflights/

Quote from Qatar website.

(*Thai Nationals travelling to Thailand on Qatar Airways are exempted from presenting an RT-PCR test medical certificate. Subject to change without prior notice. Kindly check the regulation before travel.)

 

I think most airlines are not requiring Thais to be tested. Note the US website was only advisory.

 

[Jumbo1968]

7 minutes ago, mlkik said:

Quote from Qatar website.

(*Thai Nationals travelling to Thailand on Qatar Airways are exempted from presenting an RT-PCR test medical certificate. Subject to change without prior notice. Kindly check the regulation before travel.)

 

I think most airlines are not requiring Thais to be tested. Note the US website was only advisory.

 

I don’t think it will encourage nonThai Nationals to travel on the same flight. Whilst it has been said due to the air conditioning on planes you can’t catch an infection, you will be mixing with them in the Deperture Lounge and the AC is not turned on normally when the aircraft is on the tarmac.

[mlkik]

15 minutes ago, Jumbo1968 said:

I don’t think it will encourage nonThai Nationals to travel on the same flight. Whilst it has been said due to the air conditioning on planes you can’t catch an infection, you will be mixing with them in the Deperture Lounge and the AC is not turned on normally when the aircraft is on the tarmac.

Qatar flights are much cheaper than Thai and now that there is talk of free quarantene for Thais to be stopped in the new year. Thai people will go for the cheapest option.

[bubba]

Having returned on a semi-commercial flight myself, I can confirm from speaking with Thai nationals on the flight that they did not need a pre-flight COVID-19 test.

 

On my flight, there were two people who later tested positive in quarantine – both Thais. I don't know whether they infected any others on the flight and I hope not, but fortunately I wasn't. If you look at the daily stats, you will see that the majority of people who test positive in quarantine are Thai nationals. Nearly all of them were likely infected before boarding the flight, since it is unlikely they because infected in quarantine. I wonder how many other passengers they may have infected, but it appears that these data are not publicly released. With the government's seeming disregard for the health of all passengers on these long flights, Thai and non-Thai alike, it seems absurd to me that Thai nationals are not required to test negative before boarding.

 

Note: Since 1 December, ALL passengers travelling on EVA and transiting TPE have been required to present a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours at check-in. If you want to fly on an airline where everyone has tested negative, including Thais, you should consider EVA.

 

 

 

 

[mlkik]

30 minutes ago, bubba said:

Having returned on a semi-commercial flight myself, I can confirm from speaking with Thai nationals on the flight that they did not need a pre-flight COVID-19 test.

 

On my flight, there were two people who later tested positive in quarantine – both Thais. I don't know whether they infected any others on the flight and I hope not, but fortunately I wasn't. If you look at the daily stats, you will see that the majority of people who test positive in quarantine are Thai nationals. Nearly all of them were likely infected before boarding the flight, since it is unlikely they because infected in quarantine. I wonder how many other passengers they may have infected, but it appears that these data are not publicly released. With the government's seeming disregard for the health of all passengers on these long flights, Thai and non-Thai alike, it seems absurd to me that Thai nationals are not required to test negative before boarding.

 

Note: Since 1 December, ALL passengers travelling on EVA and transiting TPE have been required to present a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours at check-in. If you want to fly on an airline where everyone has tested negative, including Thais, you should consider EVA.

 

 

 

 

I flew from Heathrow with Qatar on Saturday and upgraded to business class purely to keep myself as safe as possible.

I doubt I will ever fly business class again in my life however this time I am not concerned about the price as you can not put a price on your health especially after all the heartache and hoops I have had to jump through to get home after 10 months.

[rimmae2]

Thai Nationals travelling from India have had to have a "COVID-19 test result by RT-PCR method, not more than 72 hours before departure" for several months - since sometime in August I think.

[Carmine6]

14 hours ago, mlkik said:

Quote from Qatar website.

(*Thai Nationals travelling to Thailand on Qatar Airways are exempted from presenting an RT-PCR test medical certificate. Subject to change without prior notice. Kindly check the regulation before travel.)

 

I think most airlines are not requiring Thais to be tested. Note the US website was only advisory.

 

I would check with the relevant airlines to be sure.  Repatriation flights may or may not have special allowances since those are specifically to get people home.  However, on Eva Air's website, there is now (as of Dec. 1) a requirement for all passengers transiting in Taiwan to have a Covid test.  So that is independent of what the destination country requires.

 

Quote

Starting from 1st December 2020, all passengers who arriving or transferring in Taiwan must hold a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR test result certificate issued within 3 days prior to departure.

 

[Elkski]

I think I will go check some airline sites tomorrow and send emails requesting covid test requirements  of all nationalities.   And  complain if not 100%.   I dont believe planes are safe.   14 &6 hour flight from west coast dont BS  me unless the ceiling and floor had holes and laminar flow I call BS. 

[ronaldo0]

9 hours ago, bubba said:

Having returned on a semi-commercial flight myself, I can confirm from speaking with Thai nationals on the flight that they did not need a pre-flight COVID-19 test.

 

On my flight, there were two people who later tested positive in quarantine – both Thais. I don't know whether they infected any others on the flight and I hope not, but fortunately I wasn't. If you look at the daily stats, you will see that the majority of people who test positive in quarantine are Thai nationals. Nearly all of them were likely infected before boarding the flight, since it is unlikely they because infected in quarantine. I wonder how many other passengers they may have infected, but it appears that these data are not publicly released. With the government's seeming disregard for the health of all passengers on these long flights, Thai and non-Thai alike, it seems absurd to me that Thai nationals are not required to test negative before boarding.

 

Note: Since 1 December, ALL passengers travelling on EVA and transiting TPE have been required to present a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours at check-in. If you want to fly on an airline where everyone has tested negative, including Thais, you should consider EVA.

 

 

 

 

Like you I find it insane they force non Thais to take a PCR test then only to let Thais on with a simple fit to fly note . Totally defeats the purpose.

I flew to uk from Bkk in June and it was £520 one way with eva which I thought was a little high , but then considering they were one of the few flying I had no choice . Now I am looking at returning and the flight with Eva was around £700 one way so I wonder if this is to cover the loss of Thais who won’t get a PCR test before flying . Emirates were around £520 with 3 hr stop in Dubai but they only require fit to fly for Thais to get on a flight while everyone else is PCR tested from reading their site and cheapest I found but not likely to fly was British airways at around £250 one way in January.
From what you said though I will be paying Eva again as I’m not into sitting in a confined space for 12 hrs with a bunch of people who have had no tests at all to get on a plane ! 

[dreaming]

8 hours ago, mlkik said:

I flew from Heathrow with Qatar on Saturday and upgraded to business class purely to keep myself as safe as possible.

I doubt I will ever fly business class again in my life however this time I am not concerned about the price as you can not put a price on your health especially after all the heartache and hoops I have had to jump through to get home after 10 months.

555. Business class people dont get coronavirus.

 

Donald Trump got it, Rudi Guiliani got it. You think they were slumming it with peasants 555

[Jumbo1968]

3 minutes ago, dreaming said:

555. Business class people dont get coronavirus.

 

Donald Trump got it, Rudi Guiliani got it. You think they were slumming it with peasants 555

I think the majority of people in B.C. will be non Thais.

[mlkik]

32 minutes ago, dreaming said:

555. Business class people dont get coronavirus.

 

Donald Trump got it, Rudi Guiliani got it. You think they were slumming it with peasants 555

Business class have far fewer people and there were no untested Thai people. Do not twist things to make silly jokes. You understood perfectly the reasoning behind me flying business class.

Qatar have windows seats with a door for isolation.

Trump got it because he is a total knob and did not protect himself.

Edited December 10, 2020 by mlkik

[potless]

11 hours ago, bubba said:

Note: Since 1 December, ALL passengers travelling on EVA and transiting TPE have been required to present a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours at check-in. If you want to fly on an airline where everyone has tested negative, including Thais, you should consider EVA.

A slight query about "including Thais" testing negative. The EVA website only refers to people entering or transiting Taipei.

 So wouldnt apply to a Thai who booked with EVA to fly to Bangkok. The airline knows that non Thais have to be tested anyway to fly Bangkok. There is nothing to say that ALL passengers must be tested. Not nitpicking, just saying.

1 hour ago, ronaldo0 said:

From what you said though I will be paying Eva again as I’m not into sitting in a confined space for 12 hrs with a bunch of people who have had no tests at all to get on a plane ! 

As above.

Edited December 10, 2020 by potless

[bubba]

14 hours ago, potless said:

A slight query about "including Thais" testing negative. The EVA website only refers to people entering or transiting Taipei.

 So wouldnt apply to a Thai who booked with EVA to fly to Bangkok. The airline knows that non Thais have to be tested anyway to fly Bangkok. There is nothing to say that ALL passengers must be tested. Not nitpicking, just saying.

As above.

 

Effective 1 December, all passengers transiting TPE must have a COVID test within 72 hours of boarding and this includes all passengers. From EVA's Facebook page:

 

Starting today, Taiwan has implemented a new transit and entry policy. Fall-Winter COVID-19 Prevention Program takes effect on December 1st, 2020 and travelers are required to present a certificate of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result issued within three days prior to boarding. Please view the links below for additional information. 

 

 

Edited December 11, 2020 by bubba

[mtls2005]

12 minutes ago, bubba said:

Effective 1 December, all passengers transiting TPE must have a COVID test within 72 hours of boarding and this includes all passengers. From EVA's Facebook page:

 

BR flies LHR-BKK/BKK-TPE.

 

So if you ticket LHR-BKK you wouldn't transit TPE (obviously).

 

Are you saying that all pax (incl Thais) ex-LHR must present a negative COVID test? Or just pax flying on to TPE?

 

TIA.

 

FWIW, it looks like BR only flies LHR-BKK 1X wkly, SU. Direct, non-stop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 11, 2020 by mtls2005

[bubba]

25 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

BR flies LHR-BKK/BKK-TPE.

 

So if you ticket LHR-BKK you wouldn't transit TPE (obviously).

 

Are you saying that all pax (incl Thais) ex-LHR must present a negative COVID test? Or just pax flying on to TPE?

 

TIA.

 

FWIW, it looks like BR only flies LHR-BKK 1X wkly, SU. Direct, non-stop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As stated above, the EVA announcement only applies to transits through TPE. That would not include a nonstop flight between LHR and BKK. I this we can assume that for LHR-BKK, Thais would not require a negative COVID test and non-Thais would require a negative COVID test, as is the case with all other flights into BKK.

 

 

[Carmine6]

17 hours ago, potless said:

A slight query about "including Thais" testing negative. The EVA website only refers to people entering or transiting Taipei.

 So wouldnt apply to a Thai who booked with EVA to fly to Bangkok. The airline knows that non Thais have to be tested anyway to fly Bangkok. There is nothing to say that ALL passengers must be tested. Not nitpicking, just saying.

As above.

There is nothing saying any passenger is exempt.  I think the blanket statement does imply all passengers must be tested.

 

Transiting is someone not intending to stay in a country, and leaving in under 24 hours.  In some places you have to apply for permission to transit, like in some cities in China.  In Taipei, and everywhere else I've transited internationally, even if just switching planes in the same terminal, they make you go through security again before you go to wait at whatever gate the next plane is leaving from.  Elsewhere on the site EVA uses the term "transferring in Taiwan" instead of transiting. Try booking a flight and see the popup.  That is before you even get to look at flights, and well before ever identifying who you are and what passport.

 

Here's China Airlines, which I believe in the Taiwanese flag carrier.

 

Quote

According to Taiwan Centers for Disease Control announcement, starting from December 1, 2020 until February 28, 2021 (local time at the place of departure), all passengers arrival or transit in Taiwan are required to provide a certificate of a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test result issued within three working days prior to boarding the flight to Taiwan.

 

Edited December 11, 2020 by Carmine6
Added info

[treetops]

2 hours ago, Carmine6 said:

Try booking a flight and see the popup.

 

Here's the popup.  It seems quite clear that passengers travelling from LHR-BKK who don't arrive/transit/transfer or go anywhere near Taiwan shouldn't be affected, if what they've put on their website is what they really mean.

 

[potless]

5 hours ago, Carmine6 said:

  I think the blanket statement does imply all passengers must be tested.

I telephoned the London office of EVA and there are currently no requirements for a Covid test for a Thai national flying to BKK. from LHR. The London number is +44 207 380 8300 if anyone is interested now or in the future. 

[jimn]

On 12/9/2020 at 5:27 PM, ubonjoe said:

Thai's traveling on semi commercial flights have a have a covid 19 test. The also need a reservation at a ASQ hotel.

Info is here on the embassy in US website in Thai. https://thaiembdc.org/th/2020/12/03/semicomflights/

UJ, I have every respect for you on your knowledge on visa's for Thailand but yet again your advice on the process for people returning to Thailand is wrong. For Thai citizens flying Thai Airways no Covid test is required. After that it depends on the airline. For example from the UK if flying Qatar via Doha and Emirates via Dubai, then a Thai citizen requires no test. However if flying Etihad via Abu Dhabi then a Covid test is required. The advice is check with the airline.

[Carmine6]

8 hours ago, potless said:

I telephoned the London office of EVA and there are currently no requirements for a Covid test for a Thai national flying to BKK. from LHR. The London number is +44 207 380 8300 if anyone is interested now or in the future. 

Yes, my original post was about passengers transiting Taipei. And your follow up just said a Thai who booked EVA to Bangkok. The EVA flights out of the US connect through Taipei. So I assumed you were referring to a transiting passenger. Hence the additional info about it being related to that airport.  

[ubonjoe]

8 hours ago, jimn said:

UJ, I have every respect for you on your knowledge on visa's for Thailand but yet again your advice on the process for people returning to Thailand is wrong.

In general terms what I wrote is correct. Perhaps not clear on the have to have part. But I would suggest a Thai get the covid 19 test before starting the trip in case it is unexpectedly asked for by an airline. Not sure I would want to take the risk of no being able to finish the trip due to not having it.

[mtls2005]

6 hours ago, Carmine6 said:

The EVA flights out of the US connect through Taipei. So I assumed you were referring to a transiting passenger.

 

Good point, most of us were just considering BR's flight LHR-BKK.

 

Thais flying BR from the U.S. would need a COVID test in order to transit TPE.

 

BR has very limited service, compared to say, QR, from the U.S. to Thailand. Maybe one or two flights per week.

 

Ex-U.S.A. pop-up...

[potless]

9 hours ago, Carmine6 said:

Yes, my original post was about passengers transiting Taipei. And your follow up just said a Thai who booked EVA to Bangkok. The EVA flights out of the US connect through Taipei. So I assumed you were referring to a transiting passenger. Hence the additional info about it being related to that airport.  

I see what you mean. It would have been better if I had put up all of Ronaldos post with my reply to him, or written "a Thai who booked EVA from London to Bangkok."  

[bubba]

8 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

In general terms what I wrote is correct. Perhaps not clear on the have to have part. But I would suggest a Thai get the covid 19 test before starting the trip in case it is unexpectedly asked for by an airline. Not sure I would want to take the risk of no being able to finish the trip due to not having it.

 

To clarify, and as I posted earlier, I took a "semi-commercial" flight through TPE into BKK on EVA before 1 December and the Thais that I spoke with on that flight were not required by either the airline or Thai authorities to have a pre-flight negative COVID test.

 

Effective 1 December, EVA began requiring a test for all passengers transiting TPE (due to Taiwan legal requirements) but unfortunately for the health of all passengers on these flights there remains no requirement by Thai authorities for Thai nationals to have a negative COVID test on either repatriation flights or semi-commercial flights. The legal requirements regarding testing are the same.

 

 

 

 

[jimn]

On 12/12/2020 at 7:42 AM, ubonjoe said:

In general terms what I wrote is correct. Perhaps not clear on the have to have part. But I would suggest a Thai get the covid 19 test before starting the trip in case it is unexpectedly asked for by an airline. Not sure I would want to take the risk of no being able to finish the trip due to not having it.

You are 100% right in the fact that all Thai's should have a negative Covid test before being allowed to fly. It is a disgrace that the Thai government demands in from foreigners but not their own citizens. The onus is then on the airlines and their own policies. It is a simple fact that most airlines dont require a Covid test from a Thai citizen. Last week I did a quick trawl through the airlines flying from London Heathrow to Bangkok.

 

For Thai citizens these are the rules around having a Covid test before flying.

 

Qatar - Not Required

Emirates- Not Required

Lufthansa - Not Required

Swiss Air - Not Required

Finn Air - Not Required

THAI airways - Not Required

KLM- Required

Etihad - Required

[4MyEgo]

On 12/9/2020 at 9:04 PM, Jumbo1968 said:

I am thinking of travelling back with my Thai partner and son but don’t want to be on a flight with possible potential of picking Covid from a Thai passenger.

 

Personally I don't think it matters what airline you travel on as it takes on average 5–6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show, however it can take up to 14 days.

 

Sorry about that.