Originally Posted by
ethernal
Not sure if this is the right thread but just experienced a relatively broken Delta process to meet the international inbound testing requirements .
I was coming back from CUN a few days ago and had everything I needed:
* Negative COVID test
* Official CDC attestation form signed and dated
* Pre-flight departure questionnaire required by Mexico
* Exit immigration form
* Electronic boarding pass
There was a huge line at check-in and I had everything I knew I had everything I needed, so I waited in security for 30 minutes.. only to be told at the end of security that I couldn't pass because I didn't have a paper boarding pass which was required by Delta.
So I then head to go back to check-in - waiting 20 minutes in line - to get documents reviewed and told I had everything I needed so that they could print a physical boarding pass... and then wait another 20 minutes in security again. While I didn't get that close to missing my flight, had my transportation or anything been late I would have been cutting it very close.
Why is Delta issuing electronic boarding passes when physical boarding passes are required? It's been over a month since the new CDC mandate has been in place, so it's very surprising to me if the doc check is happening at check-in and a physical boarding pass is required to get through security.. why they are still generating electronic boarding passes. Seems like an easy thing to turn off (and they already selectively do so by airport when they make you do the security theatre questionnaire). When I got my e-boarding pass, that was my litmus test to know that I did *not* need to go into check-in.
There were also no clear signage at the Delta check-in station that a physical boarding pass was required. I even looked around just to make double sure before waiting in line in security.
What a mess.
Just flew out of CUN yesterday and had the exact same experience. A complete cluster. No e-tickets, paper only. Lines were obviously very long at the 4 or 5 ticket printers near the Delta check-in. Finally got through to check-in all the required documents and check bags. Got stopped trying to enter the security line because I didn't have some health questionnaire or something even though I thought I had all required documents. Looking around, I was far from the only one. It was a packed mad house or people trying to figure out what to do. Was told to go back to the Information Desk for it. Went there, lady acted like I was crazy but finally give me a small additional paper questionnaire. Filled it out and went back. Finally got through after they confirmed I had it. Best part of the story is that other than looking that I had this small piece of paper filled out, no one ever requested or took it. I still have it. And because of it, it created chaos and large groups of people stuck together which is exactly what they're trying to avoid. The phrase "security theater" gets thrown around speaking about the TSA sometimes, I'd like to add "COVID theater" to that list. It's a bunch of things to look like you're doing something without actually really doing much. Lastly, I believe the required COVID tests could be faked. All I ever provided was a printed test that my resort in Cancun provided to me. As far as I know, there's no electronic submission of this data and it seems you could easily falsify those since I don't believe they verify them beyond seeing that you have an official looking COVID test document with your name on it.