Hundreds of travellers are launching a class action after being turned away from their pre-booked rapid Covid-19 tests.
Travellers left stranded at airports across Australia on Boxing Day are launching a class action against the company who promised rapid 90-minute PCR tests.
Histopath Diagnostic Specialists promised holidaymakers express 90-minute Covid test results at Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney airports, allowing them to get tested before boarding their flights.
After making appointments and paying the $120 fee, hundreds of travellers were turned away from their pre-booked tests without warning.
Margalit Injury Lawyers managing principal Michel Margalit issued a public appeal for travellers who were suddenly left out of pocket after having to cancel their interstate trips.
“They were promised a 90-minute turnaround for the test results at the airport on the day they were flying, so they paid online and turned up to the airport to be tested just to be turned away,” she told Sunrise.
“They were robbed of any chance to be tested elsewhere and to successfully fly that day.”
Ms Margalit has since received an “influx” of calls from distressed people impacted by the bungle and is fighting for them to have their booking fee reimbursed as well as money lost for flights and accommodation.
Ms Margalit said hundreds “if not thousands” of people were impacted by the “poorly handled” blunder.
“There was absolutely no forewarning that the testing would not be completed on that day,” she said.
“People arrived and were turned away by security guards. It was appalling and unsatisfactory.”
Ms Margalit said she expected to be contacted by people who missed a family Christmas or even “seeing a sick loved one”.
Hundreds of travellers attempting to contact Histopath directly have had their calls go unanswered.
Attempts to call Histopath by NCA NewsWire went unanswered.
More than 80 Covid testing sites across NSW and Victoria have had to temporarily close due to the massive demand as queues snake around city blocks.
At least 54 sites closed across Victoria to deal with a backlog of testing, including private laboratories 4Cyte Pathology, ACL, Melbourne Pathology and Dorevitch Pathology.
A further 28 test sites across NSW also temporarily shut down as sites reached capacity before even opening.
Originally published as ‘Appalling’: Travellers launch class action after being turned away from $120 rapid test
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