Holidays to Greece ruined as confusion mounts over online passenger locator form

British families are having their holiday plans spoiled due to confusion over the Greek government’s new online passenger locator form, introduced to aid the country’s test-and-trace efforts.

All arrivals must fill out the form at least 24 hours before departure, giving details about where they will stay during their time in Greece. A QR code, which can be scanned by Greek authorities upon arrival, is then sent via email.

However, dozens of travellers have already been caught out – with many forced to fork out thousands of pounds for new flights – while others have reported a lack of guidance from airlines and contradictory advice.

Rachel O’Connor from London was due to fly to Rhodes from Luton on Sunday afternoon with her husband and baby, and completed the form a few days in advance. However, on Sunday morning she realised she had mistakenly said they would be arriving in Greece on Monday.

“It isn’t possible to edit the original form, and we tried to speak to Greek authorities but the phone number provided is not available at the weekend,” she said. “Therefore, as the form needs to be completed at least 24 hours in advance, we were forced to postpone our trip and rebook for Tuesday.”

Mrs O’Connor spent around £300 to change her flights, ferry tickets and hire car, but still isn’t certain she will be able to travel. “We have done a new form with the correct date but the small print says you should only apply once. So we still fear being turned away if the system flags up the fact we’ve done two applications.”

EasyJet said it provides “clear guidance on what customers must do to prepare for their flight and are notifying them of any requirement to complete a health declaration form when booking and ahead of their trip via email, SMS and via our Flight Tracker.” However, Mrs O’Connor claimed the airline did not made the Greek policy clear, and that she only became aware of it after checking the FCO website.

Furthermore, she said there is conflicting information online. “Some websites suggest you should fill out one form per passenger, others one form per family. One airport employee told me the QR code isn’t necessary so long as you have the email confirmation, but other reports suggest that this is not the case. I’d be amazed if many more people aren’t caught out, and the very fact that the QR code doesn’t arrive until a few hours before the flight is causing unnecessary stress.”

Indeed, Twitter has plenty of similar tales of bad communication and missed flights. This morning British holidaymaker Jessica Rose wrote: “Absolutely disgusted at how we were treated today at the airport. We’ve had no information from British Airways before my flight about a QR code. We’ve now had to miss our flight and spend an extra £1,200 to rebook.”

Another traveller, James Wright, said today: “Just lost €1,600 thanks to Transavia. Rebooked a previous cancelled flight to Greece via the app, but at no point was I instructed to fill out a Greek government form. Multiple emails to check in and be safe, but nothing on filling out forms. Was sent home with my family at 5am this morning and told to rebook another flight and fill out the form, which we were told to do in several different ways by different Transavia employees. I get that this is a truly difficult time, but we travellers just need some extra help and guidance.”

The scale of the problem was revealed after Wizz Air told the Independent it turned away 28 passengers on a single flight from Luton to Athens for failing to follow the rules. One of those fliers, Harry Young, told the publication he was prevented from boarding for failing to put his middle name on the form.

He said: “The middle name was optional on this form when entering details. I didn’t enter mine and nor did my partner. We were stopped due to not having a middle name. We were sent to a supervisor and manager who were not helpful at all.

“They were insistent we were in the wrong and would not listen to any passenger – even after showing them on my phone, a new form where it clearly said the middle name was optional.”

Telegraph Travel’s Annabel Fenwick Elliott was caught out last week after her QR code didn’t arrive in time for her BA flight to Santorini. “Sometimes it arrives instantly”, a fellow passenger, who was navigating a similar ordeal, told her. In Annabel’s case, it arrived 10 hours later and she was forced to postpone her trip, despite having a confirmation email from Greek authorities.

She added: “It seemed clear to me, as I stood at the airport, that this confirmation email would suffice. Indeed, the Greek government’s website actually states as much. But the BA agent informed me that it would not, and that I wouldn’t be able to fly. No QR code, no travel.

“One passenger who was turned away from my flight had no idea they needed a QR code to board. Another group at check-in had a different problem; their QR codes had come through for the parents but not the children. The mother was frantic and her sons were in floods of tears.”

BA said Annabel’s travel agency had allegedly failed to add her email address to the booking, meaning the automated email that its sends to passengers regarding the Greek entry requirements, with the link to the online form, never reached her.

Problems were also encountered by a British family last week at Gatwick. Michelle Last and her children were denied boarding for an EasyJet flight to Greece because the QR code didn’t cover all three of them.

“It’s such a shock,” said Ms Last. “I’m a lawyer, so I’m used to form-filling and small print. But with these, it’s so difficult to understand. The website is unclear. Another couple who were refused boarding hadn’t even heard about the forms.”

It appears EasyJet’s stance may have been incorrect. The Greek embassy in London told the BBC: “Sometimes airlines are asking for different codes for each passenger. Only one form per family is needed.” This is confirmed on the official Greek website.

However, another airline, Jet2, this morning contradicted that stance. “All travellers over 18 must complete a separate form,” it said in response to a query on Twitter. “Children under 18 may be added to a parent’s form.”

The Greek government website states: “All travellers must complete their PLF until the day before entering the country, providing detailed information on their point of departure, the duration of previous stays in other countries, and the address of their stay while in Greece. In case of multiple stays, they are required to provide the address for the first 24 hours at least. One PLF should be submitted per family.

Travellers will receive a confirmation email upon submission of the PLF. Travellers will receive the PLF with their unique QR code on the day of their scheduled arrival in Greece (at midnight) and will be notified via email (the QR code will be provided in a link in the confirmation email).

“Travellers boarding or embarking on the previous day of the arrival will be allowed to do so upon showing the confirmation email, since they will receive their QR code during their flight or voyage.”

The FCO website says: “If you travel to Greece, you will need to complete a Passenger Locator Form at least 24 hours before travel. All travellers over 18 must complete a separate form. Children under 18 may be added (at the top of the form, before submitting) to a parent’s form. Failure to do so in advance may result in your carrier not allowing you to travel, a 500 euro fine on arrival or the Greek authorities not allowing you to enter the country.”

It adds that some passengers may be chosen at random to undergo a Covid test on arrival. “After testing you should practise social distancing and self-monitor for symptoms that could indicate Covid-19. The Greek authorities will contact you if you test positive and advise you on whether you need to self-isolate or quarantine. Test results are expected to become available within 24 hours.”

Have you had difficulty with the Greek PLF form? Share your experience in the comments section below.