because pg 2 3-3-22
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Traveling internationally in today’s rapidly changing COVID world can be a challenge. Traveling internationally with stops in multiple countries can be a nightmare. That is unless you actually read through what the travel regulations are AND very carefully AND with updated frequency. Recently, we traveled to Dubai and since the pandemic has consistently wreaked havoc on travel plans, I made sure to book us on a flight via Germany (a comfortable place for us) just in case we ended up with a travel credit.
However, because of this, we needed to make sure that we followed all guidelines for each destination. Germany requires proof of vaccination, plus a negative COVID test within 48 hours of departure. Dubai, that is Dubai’s international airport and not Abu Dhabi’s which has (slightly) different rules, requires proof of vaccination and a PRINTED (in Arabic or English) negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of your first departure point (Boston for us). In addition, Dubai requires that you must show that you have health insurance prior to embarking on the plane. With a 13-hour layover in Germany plus time zone differences, getting the COVID test result within the correct time frame was tricky because it also needed to be a rapid test but the right rapid test and results needed to be PRINTED (in English or Arabic) and carried with us, ready to flash at a moment’s notice. As we had all the requirements fulfilled, we received entry to the plane which flew us to Germany!
However, once we were at our gate in Germany, awaiting our departure to Dubai, I was amazed at how many passengers did NOT read through the entry requirements and had NEITHER a negative COVID test result (taken within the correct time frame) NOR a printed version of this negative test result in English or Arabic. As a result, people were flocking to printers or running to find a rapid COVID test sight nearby in the airport.
Finally, with nearly all of the passengers demonstrating appropriate COVID compliance, the plane was open for boarding… although we did have a slight delay in leaving our gate as luggage needed to be removed from the belly of the plane due to, what I can only surmise, was noncompliance of the proper COVID entry requirements paperwork from the people with results written in Spanish.
I understand how annoying and challenging the varying COVID travel requirements can be but … if you are spending your time and money on booking an airplane ticket in this global pandemic situation, it is also necessary to read what the entry requirements really are.
ALL my airline communications made it relatively convenient to follow and given that I did not wish to have us denied passage, I made sure that I actually READ all the instructions and regulations. I was somewhat perplexed why others did NOT. Come to think of it, when we initially checked in for our flight in Boston, the counter agent asked to see a copy of our health insurance policy, which I did not have. I showed him our health insurance cards and reminded him that our destination was Dubai, not Abu Dhabi. He called over a supervisor who confirmed and smiled at me before handing us our boarding passes!
Fine Print! Fine Print!
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!
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