Search alerts

Direct flights between Israel and the UAE, slated to begin in October after a landmark normalisation deal, are to be postponed until January 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The air link, announced after the two states signed the deal at the White House last month, aims to open up tourism and new business ventures despite the COVID-19 slowdown. But a second lockdown in Israel, which now has one of the world's highest infection rates per capita, has put plans on hold.

The country's president has announced a new night-time curfew from 21.00 to 06.00 (local time) in Paris and eight other cities to try to curb the rapid spread of COVID-19. It will come into effect from 17 October and last for at least four weeks; a public health emergency has also been declared. The curfew will apply to Paris and its suburbs as well as Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Saint-Etienne, Rouen, Toulouse, Grenoble and Montpellier. The measures will stop people visiting restaurants and private homes, and they will need a valid reason to be outside their homes during the hours of curfew. Only 'essential' trips will be permitted.

The country has restarted international flights for the first time since they were suspended in March due to the pandemic. Services have now resumed between Peru and Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay and Uruguay; Peru does, however, remain under a state of emergency with strict measures in place until at least the end of October. Flights to Europe are tipped to potentially be added to the schedule soon.

The UK prime minister yesterday, 12 October, announced a raft of updated COVID-19 restrictions in the form of a new three-tier classification system for all regions across the country. The lockdowns will include shutting pubs and bars and banning wedding receptions in areas placed in the “very high” alert level from 14 October; other alert levels in the new system are “medium” and “high”. So far, just one region in northern England is classified in the highest category.

The country’s government has now expanded a recent change in COVID-19 testing requirements, either prior to travel or on arrival, to anyone who has come from or stayed in Belgium, France, the UK, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Czech Republic and Spain in the previous 14 days. Passengers must present evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result on arrival obtained a maximum of 72 hours prior to departure; alternatively, a free test may be taken on arrival, but passengers must self-isolate until the results are received, unless their arrival airport has rapid testing available.

A new round of COVID-19 social restrictions are due to be announced by the country’s government today, 13 October, including the possible closure of many businesses and an evening ban on alcohol sales. Team sports will also be halted for many, and the use of public transport will be limited to essential travel only; the measures are expected to stay in place for two weeks.

The government of Ukraine has declared the UK a ‘red zone’, meaning that UK arrivals are now required to undergo 14 days of self-isolation proven by a tracking app, or quarantine for the same period in a government-approved facility.

The governments of the two countries have announced that, in a bid to kick start essential business travel between them, Indonesia and Singapore have agreed to open a travel corridor. The arrangements, known as the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL), will officially come into effect on 26 October. Travellers must use the green lane by air between Singapore Changi Airport and Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Jakarta, or by sea between Tanah Merah Terminal and Batam Centre Ferry Terminal. Indonesians travelling to Singapore must apply in advance for a Safe Travel Pass. All travellers in both directions must be sponsored by a business or government entity, and must have negative pre-departure and post-arrival COVID-19 swab tests.

The Emirati low-cost airline has announced a new service from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Kathmandu (KTM), with direct flights commencing on 17 October.

The country's government has announced revised COVID-19 pre-testing requirements for international visitors effective from today, 10 October. Arrivals may now choose between presenting a negative COVID-19 Antigen test result, or a negative PCR test result, either of which should be obtained from a sample supplied a maximum of 10 days prior to arrival Testing must be performed by an accredited lab and results must be presented to the air carrier prior to boarding a flight to Jamaica as well as upon arrival. All visitors will also undergo screening on arrival including a brief interview with a health officer. Business travellers will receive a swab test at the airport, and must remain in quarantine until results are available. The current process will be in effect until 31 October.

The U.S. airline has announced details of a number of new domestic flight routes to be introduced from Miami from 15 November; Southwest will fly a combined 12 daily frequencies from Miami, with services including Baltimore, Chicago Midway, Houston Hobby and Tampa.

The Dubai-based airline has announced amendments to their COVID-19 PCR testing protocols for passengers travelling to, via and from Dubai International Airport. Included within the amendments is the update that COVID-19 PCR testing is no longer required for all transiting passengers unless the passenger destination country requires it, OR for those transiting from a select group of countries. Full information can be found on the airline website.

The airline has announced that it will launch a four-times weekly service between Qatar's capital of Doha and San Francisco from 15 December. It will operate an Airbus A350 that features 36 business-class seats and 236 seats in economy; it’s the fifth global destination Qatar Airways has added during the pandemic, joining Toronto, Brisbane, Accra (Ghana) and Cebu (Philippines).

Spain's government has declared a state of emergency in Madrid as of today, 9 October, with immediate effect. The state of emergency will last for two weeks and measures prohibit all non-essential trips in and out of the capital and nine of its suburbs. Restaurants must close at 23.00 (local time) and stores at 22.00; both must limit occupancy to 50% of their capacity. The national government has ordered police in Madrid to fine people if they leave their municipalities without justification.

The government of Portugal has from today, 9 October, replaced a physical passenger pre-departure form with a digital version, which must be completed online prior to travel by all passengers arriving in mainland Portugal (Faro, Lisbon and Porto). Passengers are required to carry a copy of their completion receipt, either printed or on a mobile device, to be presented at the boarding gate for verification. Madeira and the Azores will continue with their own respective pre-departure forms, which remain unchanged.

The country’s government has announced that St Kitts and Nevis will re-open its borders to international visitors from 31 October; entry protocols will include providing evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result obtained a maximum of 72 hours prior to arrival, and the need to take a second test upon arrival. Even if negative, passengers must then quarantine for seven days at one of four approved hotels and face a final, third test before being allowed to roam freely.

The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has published updated information on new COVID-19 testing requirements for UK travellers arriving in Italy. Passengers must present evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result on arrival obtained a maximum of 72 hours prior to departure; alternatively, a free test may be taken on arrival, but passengers must self-isolate until the results are received, unless their arrival airport has rapid testing available.

The airline has announced a partnership with 'Vault Health' which will allow them offer passengers travelling to Hawaii from the U.S. mainland a mail-in home COVID-19 saliva test. The test is to be performed using saliva collected during a Zoom-enabled video supervised test visit with a supervisor, and is claimed to be fast and efficient, allowing passengers to adhere to the 72 hour eligible testing window prior to departure.

The country’s health minister yesterday, 7 October, said that Italy will make testing for COVID-19 compulsory for people traveling from the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium and the Czech Republic.

The country's government has confirmed that a curfew has been imposed in its capital region of Tunis to slow a surge in COVID-19 cases. In the four provinces that make up greater Tunis the nightly curfew is between 21.00 and 05.00 (local time), and also includes a suspension of Friday prayers in mosques. The curfew will start at 19.00 at weekends.