Lack of patience: After flying back to Vilnius, the NVSC queue gets congested for hours, just like in the Soviet era with bananas.

Violeta (real name and surname known to the editorial board), who flew from Istanbul on Saturday, contacted Delfi. The experience gained at Vilnius International Airport reminded him of the Soviet era. The woman is criticizing the NVSC for not being able to provide enough staff for inspections and manage huge queues.

“I can compare how our experience was in Istanbul and how it was in Vilnius. When we landed in Istanbul, there were maybe a hundred employees who verified exactly the same information as in Lithuania. You must fill out forms, show your negative COVID-19 test, indicate which hotel you will be staying at, and so on. But there, when 180 people land and 100 workers sit down, you don’t even feel like the queue is passing.

The system in Vilnius is completely different. Landed, we also had about 180 people on the plane, the plane was stuck. Then two girls from the airport check your passport, check to see if you have a completed form, and then line up for infinite length. All those 180 people stand in that row and they seat four NVSC girls for those 180 people. I calculated that if you reserve 3 minutes for each person, you have to wait 2.5 hours if you are at the end of the queue. Well, these people go one after another, because the planes are landing and in reality, this waiting time is 2.5 hours to review all the data, ”says the woman.

She assures that the staff is very friendly, professional, polite, but that is not the problem.

“They are really great and it is not their fault that it is so. But not thinking about the whole process, all the logistics, this is absurd. Because in reality, all the people in a queue, if they didn’t get on a COVID-19 on the plane, they will definitely catch up in a queue. There is no room for 2 meters to queue, people are stuck. Some are very tired because they are connecting Istanbul flights from all over the world. The poor children are already waiting in the common queue with watery eyes, without eating or drinking, ”Violeta was outraged.

The wait is further lengthened by transit passengers queuing to receive checks as they rush to other flights.

“They file out, then stand again, wait. Total joval: no distances, one on top of the other. Anyway, only Lithuanians are quite responsible people, so at least they don’t try to shut up. But the spaces in the the tail is every 20 centimeters, because there is no space to stand, ”the woman got angry.

She admitted that she was lucky to be one of the first to line up because she flew without luggage for work reasons.

“It just came to our knowledge then. But in the end, people screamed and got angry. You won’t remember, but like in Soviet times, when you were expecting bananas, it was similar. We need to figure this out. We are not a banana republic and we have to treat each other. as a western state as a norm ”, the woman is convinced.

He explained the selection process itself: Passengers in the port of Istanbul fill out the requested information on an online form, indicate where they will live, which flight they flew on, and a QR code is formed for them.

“When you land, the two girls at the airport check the QR code to see if you really have it and check your passport to find out who you are. Then you stand in the next queue and wait 2.5 hours for those four NVSXC girls to check the same thing again, the same passport and the same QR code. Okay, but they also ask test questions like your phone number or self-isolation location. If someone tried to spoof a phone to indicate the location of the self-isolation, please catch up. The process really must be done, what they are doing is correct, it must be verified, because Lithuanians often lie on forms. But this requires adequate resources. “You need to seat 100 people there, not four poor girls,” says the passenger.

He is convinced that the drawbacks will be forgotten, but the problem must be systematically addressed and the NVSC does not.

Queues have increased due to stricter travel arrangements

Marius Zelenius, communications manager for the state company Lietuvos Airports, estimates that the situation may have arisen due to the coincidence of two flights.

“Approximately the nearly full planes landed at noon, it is probably only natural that due to additional security procedures, passengers have had to wait a bit longer than planned. In the past, no serious queues have been heard. We are getting such complaints. for the first time, “M. Zelenius apologized.

He assured that the process itself will be decided, as the number of flights is expected to increase in the future.

“We are looking for solutions with the NVSC, we are also talking with the State Border Guard Service, we are also communicating with the Ministry of Health. We understand that the number of flights will increase and this process should be as optimal as possible. We will decide the situation on Monday, we will explain what happened ”, says M. Zelenius.

In February, a stricter travel control procedure came into force in Lithuania and, from February 8, additional medical quarantine control procedures will be applied at airports and seaports.

Contacts for the NVSC communication department and other responsible employees could not be reached on Saturday. Previously, epidemiologist Rolanda Lingienė assessed that the process goes smoothly if travelers have completed the questionnaires correctly and completely in advance on the NVSC website.

The new procedures provide for the immediate registration of travelers who have not passed the COVID-19 test for such tests, as well as the strengthening of the procedures to verify the data of the questionnaire for travelers.

Previously, the NVSC reported that travelers must be prepared for these procedures, have all the necessary documents. This will guarantee that the process runs smoothly, expeditiously and that both the travelers themselves and the personnel who carry out the medical-quarantine control have no problems.

All travelers must complete a traveler form and have a confirmation of the completed electronic form, the so-called QR code.

The specialists will check if the data provided in the questionnaire matches the personal data, so all passengers are encouraged to submit the data responsibly and honestly when filling in the questionnaire so as not to waste additional time at the airport or seaport. To avoid problems, it is recommended to complete the electronic form within 24 hours at the latest. before the trip. Passengers must also have documents proving that they have been tested for COVID-19 before arriving in Lithuania (48 hours before arrival), ”explained the NVSC previously.

If a person plans to take the test in Lithuania, it is recommended to register in advance for the test with the Corona 1808 Hotline. If the passengers have not done so, the NVSC specialists will register them for the coronavirus diagnostic test at mobile points.

It will be checked whether travelers will undergo an investigation; those who fail to do so may face administrative liability, as such an investigation is mandatory.

If a person is ill, they must have a certificate from a medical institution at the airport or sea port stating that they have been confirmed COVID-19 disease in a laboratory test no earlier than 90 days before returning / arriving in Lithuania. .

If a person has been vaccinated, it is necessary to have documents showing that it has been carried out according to the full vaccination schedule. Documents must be translated into Lithuanian, English or Russian. 14 days of isolation are mandatory for arrivals from any country. It is possible to shorten it no earlier than 10 days after a self-funded test for COVID-19 and a negative response.