TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin 350 people from US planes

article read on JB flight 83 passengers arrived; 12 tested.

Wondering why 12 tested if it was required that you have a test in a 72 hour period. Anyone have any idea?

Not sure about Jet Blue in particular, but someone reported that Spirit wasn't even checking to see that people had a valid test.

Some had serology test (anti-body) test saying they could not get a RT-PCR test done in 72 hours. They all had to pay $125 per test. Jetblue did deny boarding to 4 people in JFK who did not complete the online health questionnaire.

Can't figure out why they were even allowed on the plane without a valid test. I bet those people who were denied boarding raised a fuss. Clueless..

Relieved to hear there was some flexibility in attempting to test and get negative results within 72 hours.

As to why they were allowed on the plane without having valid test, I didn't think airlines were required to meet requirements of the countries they were to fly to. Actually that 72 hour crap is just that crap. I could test negative and contract COVID the very next day. Better safety for a country would be testing upon arrival.

That does make sense...and not a major issue UNLESS that dreaded false positive appears

They all sound crazy to me

Airlines are fully aware of whats required. Their is an IATA database they gives them all the info. If they transport someone to a different country and they are refused entry due to not having the right documentation, not only due they have to fly that passenger back at their own cost, they are also fined by the refusing country.

So, what did those who had accommodations on the French side of the island do after they arrived? Did they all know that when they landed that they wouldn't be allowed to cross the border. We stay on the French side every year, so I might as well not get on the plane in October if I can't get to my housing.

It was well put out there that US tourist could not enter the French side.

Would love to see the follow-up stats on all of those tested in SXM. They should be made public at least in the interest of those who shared the plane ride south.

All 12 that were tested all tested negative.

Pretty sure it was already made public that none of those passengers tested at SXM had a positive result for Covid19. Perhaps SXM government’s last minute changes to requirements for folks who had likely purchased tickets some time ago led to confusion. Anyway, obviously tests done in Canada won’t have the dreaded EUA from the FDA on them so they should be acceptable. Anyone have any idea for those of us in the states as to where we can get such a test ? I’ve had 3 PCR tests done in the last 3 months and they’ve all had that statement on the lab report. Only a small number of first day passengers didn’t have the required test, so hopefully someone on island currently can chime in.

" I’ve had 3 PCR tests done in the last 3 months "
And I can't get one where I live.

As of yesterday 261 were tested at PJIA.

Having the "EUA" stamp may not be a problem for Canadians, but that is not the only impediment to having a test on hand before travelling to SXM!! First, at the current time in Ontario you have to have a reason for having a test done, and it doesn't include tourism. Second, many of the test facilities here, as is the case in many US states, cannot seem to turn out a test result within 72 hours, as is required by SXM. So, the problems may be different, but meeting the test requirement is still problematic.

A quick google search shows multiple places near you where you can get a covid-19 test, with no restrictions on who can get the test. I'll just list 2.

MultiCare Auburn Urgent Care, 202 Cross St SE, Auburn, WA 98002
MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care - Federal Way, 31861 Gateway Center Blvd S Suite A, Federal Way, WA 98003

Both of those you have to have symptoms. Believe me I've checked those out.

Weird that King County says you have to have symptoms to be tested, yet just next door to you in Pierce County they said anyone who wants a test can get one.

Canuck,
not sure where you have checked testing here in Toronto but I went to the Trillium Hospital for my test (Hurontario location) and I had no problem getting tested just for the heck of being tested. I actually do not recall being asked WHY I wanted one although I had mentioned that I live with a flight attendant who does YYZ to multiple USA destinations e.g. Newark, DC Atlantic Houston. (feel free to use that if you need an excuse)

They said come back in 14 days if I wanted to get another test....I planned to go last week so I could visit my step mom who is in a long care facility in Newmarket but that place now does visits by appointment only and they are booking late Sept now.

Turnaround on the tests was next day, online by 1030AM.

Costs= my time ( I went mid day Sunday, was in and out in 15-20 mins)

Thanks, for that info. Good to know they have improved the testing turn-around. My wife and her sister went to the testing facility in Hamilton in mid-June, in order to be able to visit with their father, who is in a retirement home. They had to make an appointment for the testing, but no wait once they arrived. However, the results were never posted to the government website and they had to call after a week to get the results. No one called them or let them know. Both were negative.

My wife's other sister lives in Ottawa and she and her husband had to wait in line for 4 hours to get tested (no appointments could be arranged...at least at that time). This was early in July, but they had the results in about 4 days. At the time, they were asking why the tests were needed and tourism/travel was not a valid reason. Now that the province has ramped up the testing capacity they may have loosened up the requirement for needing a test.

As a follow-up, my wife and her sister both got letters this past week from Hamilton Public Health apologizing for not getting formal notice of their results!! Apparently there was a screw-up in posting the results on the government website for retrieval, which is why we never found them. That problem has now supposedly been fixed. It looks like the turn-around time may also be fixed, based on your experience at Trillium.