Search alerts

It’s been reported that Rome’s Fiumicino Airport will begin hosting COVID-19-tested flights to and from the U.S. operated by Delta Air Lines and Alitalia, making it the first European airport to have such facility for transatlantic flights. From December, passengers can be tested 48 hours before departure and on arrival at the airport.

The country's government has announced the extension of its current quarantine requirement for arriving passengers until 15 January, 2021. Effectively meaning that the country is closed for short-term leisure visitors, the measures requires travellers to self-isolate in a designated hotel room for 14 days before they may be released and roam freely. Guests are not allowed to leave their rooms and are provided with meals, hygiene and sanitary equipment, which are delivered to the doors.

The country's government has extended its ban on scheduled international flights until 31 December 2020, as India continues to record surges in COVID-19 infections; the ban was previously due to expire on 30 November. This restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the country's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Approved services include the government's 'Vande Bharat' mission repatriation flights, and those allowed under bilateral travel bubble agreements.

The Dubai-based airline re-launched its 'Dubai Connect' offer, which gives passengers transiting through its hub a complimentary hotel stay in Dubai. The offer is available to customers booked in all classes with a best connection time that exceeds 10 hours; passengers will receive a complimentary night’s stay in a 4 or 5-star hotel, ground transfers to and from the airport, meals at the hotel as well as a UAE visa on arrival where required.

The country’s government has confirmed in a televised address that it will begin to ease COVID-19 restrictions from this weekend in recognition of what many deem to be the passing of their second peak. Non-essential shops will be permitted to re-open, but bars and restaurants will remain closed until at least 20 January.

The country's government has confirmed that Jose Marti Airport in Havana has now resumed commercial and charter air operations after suspending them in March. Although Cuba does not require travelers to take a COVID-19 test prior to arrival, all arriving travelers must submit a health declaration and take a COVID-19 PCR test, with the results available within 24 hours. Visitors must quarantine until test results are received and must take another PCR test at their own expense on the fifth day of their stay.

The government of the U.S. state of Hawaii has announced amendments to its five week-old COVID-19 pre-travel testing program, which come into effect from today, 24 November. From today, those who wish to avoid the mandatory self-quarantine upon arrival in the islands must have their negative test result uploaded to Hawaii's ‘Safe Travels’ system or in hand strictly at the time of their flight's departure.

Travellers departing from South Africa's O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg can get COVID-19 PCR-tested and collect their certificate at the airport prior to departure; National Health Laboratory Service is to operate three mobile test units in clearly identifiable vans located opposite the InterContinental Hotel, in front of the Police Station and on the lower level of the airport complex. The service is available 24/7 at a cost of R600 and results are available in four to six hours, with a prompt for certificate collection delivered by SMS.

The UK transport secretary has confirmed on Twitter that from 15 December, the mandatory self-isolation period for passengers arriving into England from non-'travel corridor' destinations will be reduced from 14 days to as little as five, on the basis that passengers obtain a negative COVID-19 test result from an approved private provider. The test must be taken on day five of self-isolation, and passengers are able to be released after a negative result is received.

The government of the Australian state of Queensland has announced that residents from the state of Victoria will join those from Sydney in being allowed back into Queensland from 1 December, after the southern-most state recorded yet another day of no new COVID-19 cases or deaths.

London's Gatwick Airport has announced the opening of a new COVID-19 screening service, providing pre-departure and post-arrival testing for passengers, staff and local residents with results available the next day. It also facilitates requirements for a UK government ‘test and release’ scheme, to coincide with an expected update this week on arrival quarantine in England potentially being reduced for passengers from 'high-risk' countries from 14 days to five days if a negative result is obtained. The booking portal goes live on 27 November and the cost for the general public is £99.

The premier of the Australian state of Queensland has announced that the border will re-open to all arrivals from the state of New South Wales (NSW), including Sydney, from 1 December. Residents from the state of Victoria will also be allowed to enter Queensland without quarantine, providing the state does not record a new case by Wednesday 25 November.

South African regional carrier Mango Airlines has said in a statement published on their website that domestic port health screening across the national will be stopped from 00.01 (local time) on 25 November; under this same amendment, health questionnaires will no longer be required from domestic travellers from 25 November onwards.

The two regions have announced that they have postponed a planned air bubble intended to boost air traffic between both cities. Originally due to begin from 22 November, the initiative will now be delated by at least two weeks.

The government of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has re-opened its border with neighbouring Victoria for the first time since July after COVID-19 cases there fell to zero. The New South Wales premier has announced changes to restrictions, as well as the scrapping of the rule for masks to be worn outdoors as long as physical distancing can be maintained. Larger public gatherings will also be allowed, as will in-store shopping.

The Dubai-based airline has today, 23 November, announced that it is extending its current COVID-19 cover with an expanded, multi-risk policy provided by AIG Travel; the cover will apply to all Emirates tickets from 1 December, including many codeshares services operated by other airline partners.

Following the UK government announcing granting a travel corridor to arriving or returning passengers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai-based airline Emirates has announced plans to increase its UK flight connections. Among them, it operate its A380 aircraft four times a day to London Heathrow from 27 November and six times a week to Manchester from 2 December. Flights to Birmingham and Glasgow will also be increased from the current four-a-week to daily services at both cities, from 27 November and 1 December respectively.

The government of South Australia has announced that the state will come out of its hard COVID-19 lockdown the evening of 21 November — three days earlier than planned — and outdoor exercise with family or housemates will be allowed 'effective immediately'. It comes as the state recorded just three new COVID-19 cases, all of which were detected within quarantine and were close contacts of staff at a medi-hotel and the Brompton aged care home. The state's premier has thanked South Australians for their 'spirit' during the state's tough lockdown, which only allowed people to leave their homes once a day to obtain essential goods.

The government of Northern Ireland has said that it will impose strict COVID-19 measures for two weeks from 27 November; this includes the closing of its entire hospitality sector, non-essential retail and places of worship in what is essentially a circuit-breaker style lockdown.

The government of Greece has shut one border crossing with Albania and has started to conduct rapid COVID-19 tests on all visitors at its land borders, following sharp rises in COVID-19 cases. Visitors entering from land borders were already required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result obtained at least 72 hours prior to travel; now upon arrival, they will be re-tested by Greek authorities. The measures came into effect as of 04.00 (GMT) today, 20 November.