Bristol dad 'fuming' after Boots loses his PCR test before flight to Thailand

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, steven100 said:

yes .... although it's totally unprofessional & unacceptable action by Boots,  it's not all lost and gone,  mistakes do happen even in the UK,  it was probably all a complete misunderstanding as the well known Thailand excuse.

Get another test and flight booking immediately ..... 

 

 

A tad of an over reaction on his part..

Yes an inconvenience, but another test with them and asking for a swift turn-around would have been a better solution.

Boots must handle thousands of test without mishap.

Get a grip.

[hioctane]

Why didn’t he just get an express PCR test at the airport? It might cost more, but he would have made it to Thailand!

[sandyf]

7 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Yeah! So, deadline not important, but when he finally realizes it´s too late, then it´s time to start complain. Sounds to me he could have been a little bit more pro-active and done something about it.

Quite. I had a same day result at LHR for £76, had the test about 5 pm and the result by 8 pm, flew out the following morning.

Boots charged £79 for a 48 hour result, should have done a bit more homework.

[JeffersLos]

Perhaps an early Christmas present for the partner. 

[kuzmabruk]

7 hours ago, steven100 said:

yes .... although it's totally unprofessional & unacceptable action by Boots,  it's not all lost and gone,  mistakes do happen even in the UK,  it was probably all a complete misunderstanding as the well known Thailand excuse.

Get another test and flight booking immediately ..... 

 

 

If this had been a Thai Boots all you <deleted> would have been at full volume berating the Thai people.  I am unbiased and would have to say that the UK migrant workers that have served me on my visits to London are on par or slightly less educated than Isan farmers, so why not just stop your whining and either go home or adapt. 
 

Be Happy in Monty Python Land. 

[shackleton]

For this story to make the UK. National papers is pathetic 

Must be a slow news day

Organise a other test and rebook your flights life goes on 

 

[Pravda]

I sympathized for 3 seconds 

[Enzian]

I took the test at about hour 68 (of the 72 max) and was perfectly ready to go to a different place if they didn’t come through in the 12 hours promised. 

[orchidfan]

Getting back to Thailand for Christmas ??

Frankly, my Buddhist raised wife of 15yrs doesn't give two hoots about Christmas. 

Most Thais I know don't either. 

[jacko45k]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

t’s clear that not one of you who commented so flippantly have tried to build the house of cards it takes to return to Thailand.

Off to meet someone who just did it... and he claimed it was not so bad. He is more worried by the changing rules of getting back to the UK in a few weeks. 

[jacko45k]

51 minutes ago, hioctane said:

Why didn’t he just get an express PCR test at the airport? It might cost more, but he would have made it to Thailand!

Exactly.....

[kennw]

5 hours ago, Kadilo said:

Pretty sure they will have a get out in the small print somewhere to mitigate against any larger claims, which must be the case as it looks like he has gone to the media as he is trying for compensation. 
 

Think anyone booking now would get a flex ticket with the number of variables that could go wrong and possible changes 

Yes hindsight is great.

[Aussieroaming]

Katalyst did a test for me in slightly under 3 hours earlier this week at the Marriott Heathrow for £70, although there are some sharks out there trying to bleed in excess of £250 for the same turnaround.

 

I'm not sure that the 3 week trip to the UK was worth all of the testing and other hassles to be fair. 

 

And I learnt the hard way not to transit through Singapore at the moment, so anyone considering an SIA ticket should try to minimise any transit times in Singapore as you can't leave the area that they herd you into, no lounge access either, you get nada. Going via the Mid East seems better at present.

 

 

[BEngBKK]

I just returned to TH.

 

I took 2 pcr test before the flight.

 

1 test was newer answered.

 

Newer rely on 1 test only...

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, Big Bert said:

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

It is unfortunate that these things ‘can’ happen... but the consequences of someones screw up are horrible. 

 

I doubt Boots would offer a refund for the whole costs, but they definitely should and if not there is room to make a claim against Boots - but thats not what someone wants at the beginning of a holiday.

 

The cost of re-booking may also be significantly greater as while Airlines offer free re-booking that does not include fare differences - the cheaper promotional fares are usually unavailable when booking closer to the travel date and the fare difference is often quite a lot. 

 

 

Expand  

Flights and hotel can be rebooked free atm. he can get a same day test and Thai pass allows 72 hrs deviation from dates provided

 

 

 

The issue with commenting before thinking is that you haven’t thought things through - re-booking a flight so close to departure is rarely cost free.

 

Flights can be rebooked free of charge of course - that simply means the airline removes the re-booking charge. But that does not guarantee that the same fare will exist. In fact the probably of the same fare existing when re-booking a few days before a flight is extremely low.

 

This is especially so if the initial fare was a promotional fare. The fare difference between Promo fare and full fare was £3000 when my Wife, Son and I returned recently. IF our PCR test was ‘lost’ we would not have been able to change our flights without paying the additional cost / fare of seating class. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Kadilo]

9 minutes ago, kennw said:

Yes hindsight is great.

So is good planning. 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, hioctane said:

Why didn’t he just get an express PCR test at the airport? It might cost more, but he would have made it to Thailand!

20:20 hindsight much... 

 

When a company such as Boots offers a Service, it is expected that this service is delivered flawlessly. 

 

I used Randox and received the results the day before travel. 

There was absolutely no need to go down to the airport 6 hours before departure and pay 3x the normal rate for a PCR test because someone ‘might make a mistake’..... 

 

Your suggestion is unrealistic...  next you’ll be telling anyone someone who tested positive on arrival that they should have purchased a First Class ticket to avoid sitting next to anyone on a flight and risk contrating Covid-19 from a stranger - while accurate such suggestions fail to recognise reality.

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

6 minutes ago, BEngBKK said:

I just returned to TH.

 

I took 2 pcr test before the flight.

 

1 test was newer answered.

 

Newer rely on 1 test only...

Which were the companies ????

 

I’ve used Randox, reliable, results before midday the following day. However, thats not to say a mistake would never happen. 

 

What if there are two mistakes? where do you draw the line, 3 tests ????......  it starts to get silly. 

 

 

[DBath]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

It’s clear that not one of you who commented so flippantly have tried to build the house of cards it takes to return to Thailand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I recall you posting a checklist of "How easy it is to travel in and out of Thailand" or something along those lines, not too long ago. I can't seem to locate it, but perhaps someone else here can. 

 

So, is it still so 'easy' or just a 'house of cards' as you put it?

[bimmerbob]

7 hours ago, RandolphGB said:

Has a Thai girlfriend and two kids but left two years ago and hadn't returned since.

 

Sounds like he should have had his visa situation in order first or made the effort before  now to return before now.

did it occur to you that lots of folks have been trapped because of covid lockdowns & travel restrictions?

[Kadilo]

27 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

 

There was absolutely no need to go down to the airport 6 hours before departure and pay 3x the normal rate for a PCR test because someone ‘might make a mistake’..... 

 

 

 

 

Stop exaggerating

One poster has already gave an example of where that isnt the case.
His was actually cheaper at the airport that what  Boots charge. 

[Chongalulu]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is awful....

 

After finding the right flights, getting promotional fares, booking the Test&Go hotel, Applying for Thailand pass and receiving QR code (a relief in itself)... the applicant (returnee) can relax a little - steps to return have been put into place - only one thing stands in the way, a positive PCR test result. 

 

OR... the no response - its a horrible wait... after building the house of cards on mistake, one misplaced swab, one error in the e-mail address, one human mistake and the whole house of cards comes crashing down.

 

The recovery is daunting... Re-book flights ??? its fine to say that... but do you actually know how much fares increase a few days before a travel ???

 

We booked a Business Class flights (3 weeks in advance) and got a great fare (£1800 for 3 of us), if we tested positive we could re-book free of charge and only pay the fare difference... the issue., the fares had gone up to £4800 (for 3 of us)....  

 

We would also have to re-book the Test&Go hotel - Would they have availability at short notice ?

We’d have to rebook a new taxi.

We’d have to rebook new PCR tests (for the whole family)

We’d have to Re-apply for the Thailand Pass and go through that whole charade again.

 

 

In their mistake the knock on hassle Boots have generated is Significant for this family and its very likely that it makes travel, re-booking seats at short notice a lot more expensive. 

 

 

Why the house of cards system won’t work for mass tourism - incidents like this will multiply hugely.
Like their travel insurance they are really only only the face of the test /insurance and the  company doing the test or the actual underwriters (when you claim) are nothing to do with Boots. They’re basically an agent taking a commission by lending their name.

[robblok]

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

It is unfortunate that these things ‘can’ happen... but the consequences of someones screw up are horrible. 

 

I doubt Boots would offer a refund for the whole costs, but they definitely should and if not there is room to make a claim against Boots - but thats not what someone wants at the beginning of a holiday.

 

The cost of re-booking may also be significantly greater as while Airlines offer free re-booking that does not include fare differences - the cheaper promotional fares are usually unavailable when booking closer to the travel date and the fare difference is often quite a lot. 

 

 

I do agree with what your saying however the guy should have been a bit more pro active too. Even when the deadline had passed... I mean i get that the mistake was made by this company and they should compensate but the victim is not totally blameless either. Would you have sit back having total faith or would you have made some calls and so on.

[dunroaming]

10 hours ago, steven100 said:

yes .... although it's totally unprofessional & unacceptable action by Boots,  it's not all lost and gone,  mistakes do happen even in the UK,  it was probably all a complete misunderstanding as the well known Thailand excuse.

Get another test and flight booking immediately ..... 

 

 

Rules as of today for UK travel overseas.  You need a negative PCR test before flying out and then another within two days on your return.  Has to be PCR test.  I know this was the case before but they are not allowing LFT tests now after earlier changing the rules.

[bstafford214]

11 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Get another test and take a flight in a few days..... plenty of time before Christmas..... 

But what happened regarding his flight? Did he get to cancel it without being charged?

[bstafford214]

The charge by boots of £79 is very high as well. They should do more than a refund of the test. What about cancellation charges? Did he loose his money on the flight?

[Big Bert]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

The issue with commenting before thinking is that you haven’t thought things through - re-booking a flight so close to departure is rarely cost free.

 

Flights can be rebooked free of charge of course - that simply means the airline removes the re-booking charge. But that does not guarantee that the same fare will exist. In fact the probably of the same fare existing when re-booking a few days before a flight is extremely low.

 

This is especially so if the initial fare was a promotional fare. The fare difference between Promo fare and full fare was £3000 when my Wife, Son and I returned recently. IF our PCR test was ‘lost’ we would not have been able to change our flights without paying the additional cost / fare of seating class. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maybe the issue is commenting without reading the OP

 

He was traveling alone as his family are in Thailand. You don't know who or the class he was flying.

 

He could of booked a range of PCR tests and upto 3-4 hours so he sound like a drama queen and is looking for compensation.

 

Even as you say IF travel was more expensive, if Christmas is so important a difference in cattle class for a date change due to failed result delivery would be minimal and not you 3k for a family traveling together.

 

Thai pass allows for this 

 

Hotels allows for this.

 

He does not need to rebook taxi and testing as reported as he booked a package or he would not of received his pass. He's talking rubbish.

 

Not best but he may of paid a £300 for a date change if if if they where busy.

 

[Kadilo]

29 minutes ago, dunroaming said:

Rules as of today for UK travel overseas.  You need a negative PCR test before flying out and then another within two days on your return.  Has to be PCR test.  I know this was the case before but they are not allowing LFT tests now after earlier changing the rules.

Not true. The one 2 days before arrival to the UK can be a PCR or lateral flow test result. 
The one 48 hours after has to be a PCR

Edited December 7, 2021 by Kadilo

[Jonathan Swift]

11 hours ago, steven100 said:

yes .... although it's totally unprofessional & unacceptable action by Boots,  it's not all lost and gone,  mistakes do happen even in the UK,  it was probably all a complete misunderstanding as the well known Thailand excuse.

Get another test and flight booking immediately ..... 

 

 

If this is the worst of his life's problems he's got no worries. Everyone here is right - these things happen, and they are almost inevitable, and most of us can handle it without whining to the press. I had my tests in the US come back with dates outside the 72 hour required window, I just scanned them into photoshop and made my own corrected copies, and printed them. Since the tests were valid and all I did was correct the date, problem solved, no risk. These are uncertain times, we'd all best be prepared

[mrfill]

11 hours ago, mvdf said:

Not the end of the world, Mr Baggs.

 

In other news, I'm having a cappuccino this morning. 

Spoken like a man who has never been to Bristol....