No PCR test results - meaning I could not flight (and no holiday)

powerful_Rogue

March010 said:

During the course of my communication to date; the clinic changed their explanation for not being able to provided results. Initially it was was ‘on boarded on train at local train station, it incurred significant disruption, causing it to miss the cut off at the lab’ - in subsequent correspondence this (conveniently) changed to my sample being ‘lost’

in their t&c’s they state they will take steps to minimise effec. They have not done this.
Everyone was aware of likely industrial action on trains, they should have foreseen this. Effective steps could have been using different mode of transport, or keeping the lab open to process samples.

I know I’m clutching at straws… 

I think you are as well.

Last resort, take then to the small claims court.

photome

There are many questions you ate not answering

When did you get the result?

could you have rescheduled your flight?

Could you have gone to the airport and had a result in 3 hours?

what has your insurance said ?

March010

@photome - I did not get my results ever, no reschedule not an option (Thai pass has limited window for entry), I was (and still) unaware that there is a 3 hour PCR test at Heathrow. So didn’t consider it. Looking into Insurance situation

photome

March010 said:

@photome - I did not get my results ever, no reschedule not an option (Thai pass has limited window for entry), I was (and still) unaware that there is a 3 hour PCR test at Heathrow. So didn’t consider it. Looking into Insurance situation

re 3 hour test

just going by what Pinkshoes posted

Heathrow and other airports have 3 hour PCR services...

Sandtree

March010 said:

@photome - I did not get my results ever, no reschedule not an option (Thai pass has limited window for entry), I was (and still) unaware that there is a 3 hour PCR test at Heathrow. So didn’t consider it. Looking into Insurance situation

Covid 19 test | Heathrow

To add insult to injury, its also cheaper than the £129 you paid... airports will never be the cheapest places on earth but its surprising that most the tests at airports seem fairly reasonably priced

pinkshoes

photome said:

March010 said:

@photome - I did not get my results ever, no reschedule not an option (Thai pass has limited window for entry), I was (and still) unaware that there is a 3 hour PCR test at Heathrow. So didn’t consider it. Looking into Insurance situation

re 3 hour test

just going by what Pinkshoes posted

Heathrow and other airports have 3 hour PCR services...

I only found that out 2 minutes before I posted with a quick Google of fast PCR test for holiday...

There is a next day PCR thingy in a shopping centre near-ish to me, but their T&Cs make it clear that if the results do not come back in time due to reasons beyond their control, then they are not responsible for any subsequent losses e.g. flights.

You could potentially take them to court for the losses if they have no such T&C, but you would also need to show you mitigated your losses e.g. could you not book a flight a couple of days later and book another PCR etc...

They do owe you a refund for not getting a result!

y3sitsm3

March010 said:

During the course of my communication to date; the clinic changed their explanation for not being able to provided results. Initially it was was ‘on boarded on train at local train station, it incurred significant disruption, causing it to miss the cut off at the lab’ - in subsequent correspondence this (conveniently) changed to my sample being ‘lost’

in their t&c’s they state they will take steps to minimise effec. They have not done this.
Everyone was aware of likely industrial action on trains, they should have foreseen this. Effective steps could have been using different mode of transport, or keeping the lab open to process samples.

I know I’m clutching at straws… 

But that would only apply if it was issues with the  train.  As you've now stated, the sample was lost so that doesn't apply.

Manxman_in_exile

Did you at any stage ask them the obvious question, which was:  "If there is any problem with you getting my test results back to me in time so that I'm prevented from flying to Thailand, will you cover my wasted travel and hotel costs?"

If you had, I suspect with almost 100% certainty that they would have said "No."  And if by some miracle they had said "Yes, we will", you needed to get it in writing (and even then I'm not sure it would have been enough to win in court).

Hopefully your travel insurance will cover it.  I presume you are insured?

Sandtree

Manxman_in_exile said:

Hopefully your travel insurance will cover it.  I presume you are insured?

Insurance does often cover you missing your flight due to travel problems etc but are any insurers offering cover for a delayed PCR test?

Even where cover is provided it is normally for taking the next flight and any lost nights rather than total abandonment of the whole trip (unless extra flights are disproportionate to the whole holiday cost)

Manxman_in_exile

Sandtree said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

Hopefully your travel insurance will cover it.  I presume you are insured?

Insurance does often cover you missing your flight due to travel problems etc but are any insurers offering cover for a delayed PCR test?

...

I've no idea - that's why I started the sentence off with "Hopefully" rather than just "Your travel insurance will cover it".

I'm sure you you know more about current travel insurance cover than I do.