Flight delay invalidates COVID test – need to retest?

4/4/2022 6:32:47 PM

The same site (as DavidSupportsMonica’s answer: https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/international-travel/inbound#predeparture-testing) has a "pre-departure testing" section that says:

The RAT must be done no more than 24 hours before the scheduled departure time of your flight, (or first flight if you have one or more connecting flights booked for your travel to Australia).

Which seems to imply she is OK as the test is still within 24 hours of the actual and scheduled departure time of the first flight of one or more connecting flights.

4/4/2022 5:39:00 PM

The Australia incoming-traveler testing deadline may be extended, depending upon whether the flight to Australia was "delayed," or "re-scheduled or cancelled."

The general rule is presented in The Australian government "Traveling to Australia" page. This page says:

Undertake a pre-departure COVID-19 test

A negative COVID-19 test result is required for travelling to Australia. Evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 3 days or RAT taken within 24 hours of your flight’s scheduled departure must be provided to your airline when you check-in for your flight.

Information about COVID-19 test requirements, what to do if your PCR or RAT test result is positive when you have already had and recovered from COVID-19, and if you are unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons for pre-departure testing is available on the Department of Health website. You should also check for any airline, departure or transit country testing requirements.

The Australian goverment’s Department of Health website referenced above, however, contains this text that allows some deadline flexibility:

Delayed and rescheduled flights

If your flight has been delayed outside the 3 day window for a NAA test or 24 hours for a RAT test, you do not need to have a new test.

If your flight has been re-scheduled or cancelled, you do need to have a new test, done within the appropriate time frame before the rescheduled or newly booked flight is scheduled to depart.

The question says the flight from Colmbia to Miami was delayed. The question does not specify if the traveler’s flight to Australia was "delayed" or whether the traveler was rebooked on a later flight. I think the language of the Department of Health website refers to the flight to Australia, not the earlier flight that delivers the traveler to a transit in the US.

Thus, if the traveler was rebooked on a later flight from MIA > MEL, then the traveler should obtain a new test.

Credit:stackoverflow.com‘

About me

Hello,My name is Aparna Patel,I’m a Travel Blogger and Photographer who travel the world full-time with my hubby.I like to share my travel experience.

Search Posts

Latest posts

Popular posts