Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority issued a new statement on Sunday announcing the new rules regarding the nation’s restrictions on flights due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Greece Extends Flight Restrictions
Restrictions on domestic flights are extended until Monday, April 12, with only essential passenger travel being allowed, while on international flights the restrictions continue until Monday, April 19.
The Greek Aviation Authority said that both domestic and international flights are banned, with the only exceptions being for those who need to travel for health, professional, or family reasons.
Additionally, the ban on arrivals of non-EU citizens to Greece has been extended at least until April 19, 2021.
The citizens of only ten countries are exempt from this non-EU ban.
These countries are the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and Russia.
Additionally, all passengers entering Greece from any foreign country, including the member states of the European Union, are subject to mandatory precautionary restrictions at home or at the place of temporary residence, for at least seven days.
On top of the seven-day quarantine, passengers will be randomly tested upon their arrival, and are required to have a negative test before they fly to Greece. The test has to be conducted at a maximum of 72 hours before their arrival.
Israel is the exception to the rule
However, all vaccinated Israeli passengers may enter Greece without quarantine: The aviation directive stipulates that passengers from Israel (permanent residents) are allowed to enter Greece upon coronavirus vaccination and presentation of a certificate by them, in English, issued by a public authority, under the following conditions:
a) either 14 days after the completion of the traveler’s vaccination, or b) a negative diagnosis following a PCR laboratory test for coronavirus COVID-19 performed by receiving an oral-nasopharyngeal or nasopharyngeal smear within the last 72 hours before their arrival in Greece.
Permanent residents from Israel who have a vaccination certificate are exempt from the seven-day mandatory precautionary restriction that applies to all other travelers from abroad as well as Israelis who have not been vaccinated.
The first vaccinated tourists from Israel in 2021 arrived in Greece on Saturday morning — all holding their vaccination certificates.
The first flight arrived in Athens from Tel Aviv at 11 am local time.
The tourists were obligated to show their vaccination certificates in order to be able to leave Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos international airport.
In addition to all the other measures, a mandatory rapid arrival test is now the rule for all passengers from the United Arab Emirates as well as from the United Kingdom.
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