A press release from the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority tells of the extension of travel restrictions bent on protecting passengers and residents of Greece from the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the news, those extended restrictions include:
- The suspension of flights between Greece and Catalonia in Spain until October 25.
- Suspended flights between Greece and Turkey remain in force until October 25.
- All flights between Greece and Albania and North Macedonia will continue to operate through the Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) only, until the new deadline.
- Passengers travelling to Greece from Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, the United Arab Emirates, Malta, Belgium, Spain, Albania and Northern Macedonia will still be required to provide a negative Covid-19 test result on arrival to Greece; the test cannot be older than 72 hours prior to their arrival in Greece.
- The NOTAM concerning passengers from Israel has been extended until October 25. These passengers are required to provide a negative Covid-19 test result on arrival to Greece; the test cannot be older than 72 hours prior to their arrival in Greece.
- All passengers traveling between Greece and Russia will continue to be required to provide a negative Covid-19 test result on arrival to Greece; once again, the test cannot be older than 72 hours prior to their arrival in Greece. Further, flights will only land at the airports of Athens, Thessaloniki and Heraklion (Crete).
The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority has also extended the ban on entry of non-EU citizens until October 25, except for the following countries’ passengers, who will be able to travel to Greece: Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia, Uruguay, and the United Arab Emirates. Proof of residency will be required.
All passengers arriving in Greece are required to fill in a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) at least a day before arrival. The forms will require information that will include departure airport, the address where they will be staying, and the expected duration of their stay in Greece. The information on the form is a key element of the country’s planning for protection against the pandemic and preventing the spread of the virus.
The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority also stressed that before accepting passengers for boarding, airlines must check:
- the PLF submission confirmation at least the day before the flight, which is a mandatory travel document
- the correspondence with the QR code and the PLF
Airlines that do not comply with this control obligation will be responsible for the repatriation of passengers at the expense of the company.