24 Aug, 2021 → by ClaimboUser31998
Unclear covid testing policy
1
I followed the official covid testing regulations on the UAE government website, which was 72 hours before departure, but Qatar Airways did not let me board in Dallas. The manager was clearly mixed up as to the correct policy and told me three different explanations. First he insisted that it was 72 hours before arrival. Then he insisted that it was 72 hours before my first international flight. He was very flippant and dismissive about the fact that I had followed the government's official guidelines, stating that the airline has its own policy. I talked to another employee, and she told me that it was 72 hours before the inbound flight. Admittedly this is partially the fault of the UAE government for not updating their website, but it greatly aggravated the situation that it took an hour for the employees to give a clear policy, and by then the plane was boarded and pushing back from the gate. If the employees and the government can't tell us what the time horizon is for covid tests, how are travellers supposed to know? If they are going to create their own policy, they are obligated to tell customers what it is. We saw several other families turned away by Qatar Airways, some of whom spent the night in the airport or spent thousands of dollars on rushed covid tests.