11/01/2022
For those interested, here’s an account of what took place at the HK airport after landing (this example is for flight EK0348 Dubai-Bangkok-HK) for one passenger:
“1. 17:58- Landed. Walked the usual walk after exiting the plane and made a visit to the toilet to change to warmer clothing as I’d arrived from Bangkok. Remember to flip down the toilet lid first as otherwise the toilet will keep flushing.
2. 18:30-18:45- much walking up and down demarcated routes until I got to gate 200. Needed to show the QR code on the way. At the dreaded specimens collection stage, I queue to get to counters where they distribute a green tag to wear around the neck with a barcode on it. This is also where they gave me my specimen collection bottle in a clear bag marked “biohazardous”.
3. 18:45-19:04- I carry on. At the next queue, I find myself waiting to enter a booth for nose and throat samples to be collected. No photography or videography is allowed. I am allocated a cubicle by being handed a slip of paper.
4. My cubicle is around 3m x 3m in size with a chair in the middle, which you sit on. You are given 2 pieces of tissue to sandwich your mask that you’ve removed. After the meal and oral swabs you get back the test tube complete with contents and exit. The testing staff checked the barcode on my tag before letting me go.
5. 19:10- On exiting the booth, I get to a counter where I handed over the bag containing the specimens tube to tongs wielded by another hazemat-suited personnel. By now I’m feeling sort of important for being so dangerous to society. At this point, I’ve walked right up to the end of gate 219 and find the route turning towards the opposite direction. I keep walking.
6. 19:14- At this next counter, I produced my QR code yet again. The staff dials my phone number with a phone for verification and my phone gets it. She gives me a yellow slip of paper with the first 4 digits of my phone number. I’m waved onwards.
7. 19:25- I walk till I get to a long line of counters where I queue again, so that I may finally present (to one of the staff wearing plastic shields) the required documents for entry in HK, but not before the barcode on my lanyard is scanned twice and the yellow slip is collected.
8. I was asked to produce 6 items: HKID card, boarding pass, vaccination record, hotel booking, RT PCR test results and ISO 15189 certificate. The staff prints out and goes through my details on my quarantine order (white, A4), with a gentle but firm reminder that if I step foot out of my quarantine room, I can get a $25,000 fine and possibility of 5 months imprisonment. He hands me a 51-page A4 handbook and a free thermometer before waving me off.
9. 19:35- At the next counter, my quarantine order gets checked. Afterwards, I carry and soon see two brightly shining fridges in a distance. FOOD!
10. But first, I must hand over my newly-acquired quarantine order at the next counter with my green tag. Said tag is flipped over and a label is stuck on the other side. This is my gate, row and seat number for the waiting area. I’m given a pink A4 sheet with some points to note.
11. I choose from 4 options and am given a ham and cheese sandwich (there’s a vegan option). Biscuits and bottles of water are up for grabs. My waiting area is gate 202 and my socially-distanced seat is one of around 12 on row F (there’s A-R). There is a nicely folded bin bag on the desk for trash.
12. 19:44- I finally sit down at gate 202 which is at the very end of the complex…and then, WE WAIT. I amuse myself by writing out the whole procedure….
13. 22:07- The AC was cold so I put on my jacket. Mercifully we are allowed to walk about and take toilet breaks.
14. 22:43- there’s a stir as the blue shower-capped protective suits approach with rustling papers. One of them proceeds down my aisle and then she stops in front of my desk (YES!) and I’m given back my quarantine order with a big red “CHECKED” on it. You may proceed to gate 210 she says. So I guess I’m negative! Ho ho ho, DQH (i.e. designated quarantine hotel), here I come!
15. 23:00- I take all of 1 minute to go through immigration and spot my suitcase patiently waiting for me next to the luggage carousel. Customs asks for my passport and boarding pass, as well as whether I’ve got goods to declare. I try my best to smile behind my mask before yanking my passport out of his hands. My patience is further tested when at arrivals hall A, I’m stopped and asked to produce my quarantine order again.
16. 23:15- at the far end of the arrivals hall is another counter another queue. This time, it is to allocate us to the respective buses to our DQHs. Here, they check your quarantine order and give you handwritten tags in Chinese (which states the district your hotel is in) for each piece of baggage that will go into the luggage compartment on the bus. As you get sorted into different queues, you are asked to keep your quarantine order in hand.
17. 23:43- a final check of the quarantine order and I’m allowed to queue up for the lift to go downstairs to the bus. Thank goodness my luggage gets lugged onto the bus for me as I’m knackered. My fellow passengers are visibly relieved that we are going to a hotel and not a camp.
18. 23:55- as I alight, my quarantine order is scanned on a scanner on the bus. I hop down and take a small breath of (fresh?) air as I walk into my DQH with my luggage. As promised by the notice on the wall, check-in took all of 3 minutes. HKID card, now-dog-eared quarantine order checked, rate paid with deposit and off I go to my room.
So there it is, 6 hours from landing to room.
Another challenge begins as I close the doors behind me. Goodnight!”
