Around the start of January 2021, during the second wave of Covid19, I flew from Europe back to Asia. The virus had already started to mutate and the different variants were just being discovered. These were bad news, so I had to leave before countries would start closing borders again or impose stricter measures and tests. I flew with the airline that was one of the few that was operating when the virus hit and the one that managed to fly me out of Asia, Qatar Airways.
Depending on your destination it was very likely that you would need a Covid19 negative test in order to take your flights. My final destination was Japan which required a negative test at least 72 hours before boarding (and they would test me again upon arrival plus quarantine). That test had to be quite specific (PCR) and they also provided their own result paper to be filled (in Japanese and English) which had details about how exactly the test was done.
Athens international airport Eleftherios Venizelos had a bit more traffic than when I used it during the 1st Covid19 wave in mid-2020. But still a few people and almost all the shops were closed. During the check-in there were many passengers who had problems with their Covid19 test (sometimes it was not written in English etc.). I had a problem as well, the private test center which did my test, provided me with two result papers, the Japanese one (which I provided after checking with the Japanese embassy), and their own. The Qatar airlines guy in the airport check-in told me there was a problem as the two papers didn’t write the exact identical way of testing, referring mostly to the Greek/English paper of the hospital. He added that if I didn’t have the Japanese/English paper they wouldn’t let me fly but still he didn’t want to take responsibility. After I protested, he called somebody in a higher position to sort it out. The woman in charge asked me if it would be possible for me to go back to the test center to re-write their own paper to be identical of the Japanese one – when my flight was to depart in a couple of hours! I told her that would be impossible and that Japan only needs the Japanese paper so I would definitely be permitted entry. She was kind enough to let it go and allow me to take the flight. I can’t imagine how many travelers were not that lucky and they had missed their flights for silly cases like mine.
The flight from Athens to Doha with Qatar Airways was almost full, people going to various destination all over the world. But the seat arrangement was done pretty well, trying not to mingle the passengers and have as many empty seats between groups as possible. This time we were not provided with a face shield, as when I flew in mid-2020, but we were given the usual protective kit with a mask, disposable gloves and hand sanitizer. There seemed that the vegetarian meal I had selected was somehow not in their list but the lovely crew managed to find something without meat for me to eat.
Landing in Doha Hamad international airport, Qatar, I immediately felt that it was much busier than the previous time here during the first wave in mid-2020. There were thousands of passengers and many shops were open, for the first time I felt that maybe things were going back to normal. Of course everybody wore masks, not really keeping social distance and our body temperature was checked multiple times.
Although most of the restaurants were open, I visited a food court with snacks and beverages which seemed operational but it was completely empty, no food, no people but all the lights were lit.
I was delighted to see Harrods Tea Room to be open, 24h! As I had a long stopover in Doha it was the best place to eat some good food and relax, after having experienced so many airports earlier with all the restaurants closed. Plus it would be my first time to experience Harrods, even being in Doha! For more about it and the delicious food check my post Harrods Tea Room at Hamad airport.
After food, I went to one of the edges of the airport where there were very few people around, it seemed like a good place to relax and wait until my gate would be open. Security was quite active but always very polite, they came to ask me whey I was there all alone. When I explained them they told me that I could also make use of the rest areas if I wanted but that there was no problem for me to remain there as well. Soon I was boarding my next flight with Qatar Airways, going to Incheon in South Korea!
Additional information
GPS coordinates for places in this post, click on them to be redirected to the exact point in google maps Click on the names to be redirected to their official websites (if applicable).
Athens Eleftherios Venizelos airport : 37°56’29.7″N 23°56’51.8″E
Doha Hamad airport : 25°16’13.8″N 51°36’09.7″E
Qatar Airways official website
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