Where to get a pre-flight COVID-19 test?

[jaseb]

FWIW my US friend has opted for COVID-19 Test for Travel | Accredited Testing day before flt

This is what we've booked and paid for also - we originally planned on taking the test on the 30th, 72 hours before flying on the 2nd - however it appears we now need to take a test on the 31st at the earliest ("2 calendar days before departure") and with the public holiday on the 1st, I'm not convinced we'll get a result in time.

edit: Phoned Fiji Airways, they have not been advised of the change to testing requirements ("test no earlier than 2 calendar days prior to departure") and are still advising passengers to test 72 hours prior to departure. Public holiday in Fiji today so Fiji Airways 'management' weren't available to communicate any potential changes to the call centre. They recommended calling back tomorrow for clarification

 

[justinbrett]

We are on the same flight.
Looking at the testing location at BNE International, if I'm not mistaken it appears that the testing clinic is behind customs/immigration control.
Because of this I assume we will not be able to visit the testing site the day before our flight - given I wouldn't think customs/immigration would let us through the checkpoint if we don't have a flight on that day?

Glad to inform you that you are mistaken

The customs / immigration on that map is actually escalators to them. You can walk on to the travel testing area which is in a retail zone. The tripit map makes it look much clearer:

 

[jaseb]

Glad to inform you that you are mistaken

The customs / immigration on that map is actually escalators to them. You can walk on to the travel testing area which is in a retail zone. The tripit map makes it look much clearer:

View attachment 267920

Great - thanks for the info! So it may be that we cancel our Healius test we've paid for and instead stay the night before departure at the ibis at BNE International and get a test the day before. A bit of a stuff around but perhaps best for peace of mind.

 

[robynb]

Great - thanks for the info! So it may be that we cancel our Healius test we've paid for and instead stay the night before departure at the ibis at BNE International and get a test the day before. A bit of a stuff around but perhaps best for peace of mind.

If you have access to Expert Flyer - I can assure you there are very few passengers on our flight so as long as they prioritise the first flights leaving (as they should) then testing at BNE should be fine.

 

[jaseb]

If you have access to Expert Flyer - I can assure you there are very few passengers on our flight so as long as they prioritise the first flights leaving (as they should) then testing at BNE should be

My concern is that with the flight departing at 1150AM, check in closing 2 hours pre departure and the testing clinic not opening til 0800AM, we may be leaving a little too much to chance...

Edit: I should clarify; does the negative result have to be presented during check in? Or at immigration and/or boarding?

 

[serfty]

Edit: I should clarify; does the negative result have to be presented during check in? Or at immigration and/or boarding?

I believe generally one cannot check in without presenting documentation for a negative result.

 

[maccaisking]

We are flying from SYd to NAN 10:30am on 31st, land in Syd arojnd 630pm 30th so plan to test at airport that night. This also covers us in the unlikely event we are a casual contact on the flight.

We have friends leaving Mel the day before and doing the same thing (they are staying at airport hotel). Will update on our experience when boarding - hopefully.

 

[PineappleSkip]

Has anyone had a PCR test done at a SNP collection centre in QLD recently? How long did the results take to come back? I'm due to have mine Friday morning to fly Saturday evening.

Are you flying domestc or international? I got a day 5 test less than a week ago and the results were back in 29 hours later. Turnaround times have blown out since then. I’ve found SNP for international good also; you’ll find when you complete the online form in advance that they prioritise based on flight times. If you want maximum reliability for a day before test get the swab at Murrarie where they run the tests. [Edit: ABC News today had a pic of a kilometre long queue at Murarrie so I'd call and check how to get there in time.]

We are on the same flight.

Potential for an AFF meetup!

does the negative result have to be presented during check in?

Always. Often there is a counter before but adjacent to checkin where they precheck doco.

cheers skip

 

[Jester38]

This is what we've booked and paid for also - we originally planned on taking the test on the 30th, 72 hours before flying on the 2nd - however it appears we now need to take a test on the 31st at the earliest ("2 calendar days before departure") and with the public holiday on the 1st, I'm not convinced we'll get a result in time.

edit: Phoned Fiji Airways, they have not been advised of the change to testing requirements ("test no earlier than 2 calendar days prior to departure") and are still advising passengers to test 72 hours prior to departure. Public holiday in Fiji today so Fiji Airways 'management' weren't available to communicate any potential changes to the call centre. They recommended calling back tomorrow for clarification

Are you flying out of Fiji? Depends on where you are but we are doing the same as you (flying on 2nd) and plan on using the testing facility at our hotel which tells us they will turn around in around 24 hours. So we are testing Friday for results back hopefully Sat and fly Sunday. We are staying at Denarau Island. However, if you are somewhere remote, I remember reading somewhere that the Fijian authorities are talking a lenient view if you needed to take a test more than the two days out because of testing delays. But you would need to check that out further.

 

[Jester38]

We are flying from SYd to NAN 10:30am on 31st, land in Syd arojnd 630pm 30th so plan to test at airport that night. This also covers us in the unlikely event we are a casual contact on the flight.

We have friends leaving Mel the day before and doing the same thing (they are staying at airport hotel). Will update on our experience when boarding - hopefully.

FWIW, we used the Histopath facility at MEL on 26 Dec for a MEL/SYD/NAN flight that same day. Bit nervous as we flew out at 11.00 am and could not check in at Melbourne until we had the negative test result. Prebooked, we arrived at 7.30, had results back by 8.45 and managed to get the 10.00 flight up to SYD. So for us, went really well. Unlike all the domestic passengers sitting around that had been rebooking flights as they were still waiting for test results back from the Govt testing stations after almost three days!

 

[Jester38]

I believe generally one cannot check in without presenting documentation for a negative result.

Correct. If you have a domestic flight but bags are checked through to the international flight, you cannot check in until you have that negative test.

 

[Grimace1]

Are you flying domestc or international? I got a day 5 test less than a week ago and the results were back in 29 hours later. Turnaround times have blown out since then. I’ve found SNP for international good also; you’ll find when you complete the online form in advance that they prioritise based on flight times. If you want maximum reliability for a day before test get the swab at Murrarie where they run the tests. [Edit: ABC News today had a pic of a kilometre long queue at Murarrie so I'd call and check how to get there in time.]

Hey PineappleSkip, flying international. I've prepaid for a test with SNP in Cairns and they told me to advise the workers on the day of the test to have the sample ran in Cairns instead of them shipping it off to Brisbane.

QML was quoting me 72 hours for the standard $150! Will post an update as things happen

 

[Spacetravel]

If anyone is absolutely desperate (and I’ve only been advocating this for friends/family so far, but it is getting insane), histopath at the airport only need to see a travel itinerary with a booking reference for travel within 24 hours. It’s not at all hard for a licensed travel agent to produce this. That’s the level of crazy this has reached!

I needed a test to go to QLD, from Sydney. With the crazy testing situation in Sydney after 3 days of 5am starts attempting to get a test with no luck I booked a (refundable) Qantas classic award seat to HNL, got the 90 minute covid test at Int Airport then cancelled the HNL booking.

 

[AIRwin]

I needed a test to go to QLD, from Sydney. With the crazy testing situation in Sydney after 3 days of 5am starts attempting to get a test with no luck I booked a (refundable) Qantas classic award seat to HNL, got the 90 minute covid test at Int Airport then cancelled the HNL booking.

Same here - I had better luck with a 2 hour wait at a drive through testing in MEL but didn't receive the results until the morning of my flight so I had the same plan to pay for a test at the airport as a potential back up... Wanted to walk past to check it out anyway and noticed this sign to ensure bookings have been made online but didn't ask if it's strictly enforced:

 

[Quickstatus]

@AIRwin
Where is the histopath testing facility location at SYD?

 

[AIRwin]

@AIRwin
Where is the histopath testing facility location at SYD?

Sorry @Quickstatus I was in MEL but this is from their website - @banana0692 do you have any further info on SYD location?

 

[henrus]

The sydney location is on the departures level near the bridge that links to the carpark. You can't miss it as it's a huge tent often with a big queue leading out the side of it.

 

[Spacetravel]

@AIRwin
Where is the histopath testing facility location at SYD?

It's outside the terminal where the drop off is on departures level. In line with the crossing.

 

[Quickstatus]

big queue

How long is the queue

 

[Spacetravel]

How long is the queue

No more than 10 minutes when I was there on the 28th.