• Middle East

          Israel : to accept Covid-19 antigen tests for travel

          Israel has further relaxed Covid-19 health requirements for both returning citizens and foreign tourists looking to enter the country. From today, passengers arriving in the destination can present a negative antigen test from the previous 24 hours. This is instead of the previous requirement of a negative PCR test from the previous 72 hours. Passengers landing at Ben Gurion airport and Israel’s other border entry points will still be required to undergo a PCR test at the airport and remain in isolation until the results are received (within 24 hours).
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          Qatar Airways : touches down in Almaty, Kazakhstan

          Qatar Airways’ inaugural flight from Doha to Almaty in Kazakhstan has landed at Almaty International Airport, marking the launch of the airline’s newest gateway in central Asia. Operated by an Airbus A320, flight QR0391 was welcomed with an opening ceremony attended by Qatar ambassador to Kazakhstan, Abdulaziz Sultan Al-Rumaihi. Also on hand were Qatar Airways senior vice president eastern regions, Marwan Koleilat; chairman of Aviation Committee of Kazakhstan, Talgat Lastayev; president of Almaty International Airport, Alp Er Tunga Ersoy, and a host of airport and government officials from Kazakhstan.
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          South Africa : leads red list additions as new Covid-19 variant identified

          The government has reintroduced red list restrictions on arrivals from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia with immediate effect. The move comes in response to the discovery of a new variant of Covid-19. Variant B.1.1.529 has been declared a “variant under investigation” by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Officials said the variant includes a large number of spike protein mutations as well as mutations in other parts of the viral genome.
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          Saudi Arabia allows entry of all travelers who received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine

          Saudi Arabia will allow direct entry to travelers from all countries who have received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine starting from December 4, the Ministry of Interior said on Saturday. Travelers allowed entry would have to quarantine for three days. The ministry did not specify a particular vaccine as a requirement. The Kingdom suspended on Friday flights to and from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini over concerns of the spread of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. It allowed airports to operate at 100 percent capacity, cancelled the requirement of social distancing in public places, modes of transportation, restaurants, and cinemas, as well as lifting the requirement of wearing masks outdoors. The authorities also lifted the restrictions on the number of people at gatherings such as wedding halls and event venues.
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          Fifth of destinations still completely closed to tourism

          One out of five destinations continue to have their borders completely closed as new surges of Covid-19 impact the restart of international tourism. The latest research shows that 98 per cent of all destinations still have some kind of travel restrictions in place. According to the UNWTO Travel Restrictions Report, 46 destinations (21 per cent of all destinations worldwide) currently have their borders completely closed to tourists. Of these, 26 destinations have had their borders completely closed since at least the end of April last year. A further 55 (25 per cent of all global destinations) continue to have their borders partially closed to international tourism, and 112 destinations (52 per cent of all destinations) require international tourists to present a PCR or antigen test upon arrival. The research also shows how destinations are opening up to vaccinated international tourists: 85 destinations have eased restrictions for fully vaccinated international tourists, while 20 destinations have made a full Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for entering a destination for tourism purposes. However, just four destinations have so far lifted all Covid-19-related restrictions completely (Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Mexico).
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          Air Astana: to return to New Delhi next month

          Air Astana will resume flights from Almaty to New Delhi, the capital of India, on December 16th, with three services a week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft. Departure from Almaty on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays is scheduled for 07:50 and arrival in New Delhi at 11:10, with return flight at 12:20 and arrival in Almaty at 16:40. All times local, with a flight time of three hours and 50 minutes in each direction. Air Astana offers convenient connections for passengers travelling from Kyiv, Bishkek, Istanbul, Tbilisi and Baku.
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          SOUTH AFRICA: Countries further restrict SA travellers

          Various countries, as listed below, have issued new travel restrictions on traffic originating from Southern African countries, including South Africa, due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 (these may include but are not limited to quarantine upon arrival, additional testing, vaccination requirements or a complete travel ban). The affected countries currently are listed as the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Singapore, the Czech Republic, Mauritius, Seychelles, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Croatia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Bahrain, Belgium, France, Spain, Malta, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Guatemala, Cyprus, Canada, the US, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Egypt, India, Japan, the Maldives, Morocco, Qatar, Thailand, Pakistan, Israel, New Zealand, Angola. The situation is extremely fluid and changing constantly. Travel into a great number of the countries that imposed a travel ban or travel halt, is restricted to travel being allowed for citizens and permanent residents, with limited exemptions being allowed.
          Angola
          Belgium
          Canada
          Croatia
          Cyprus
          Czech Republic
          Denmark
          Egypt
          France
          Germany
          Guatemala
          Hong Kong
          India
          Japan
          Malaysia
          Maldives
          Malta
          Mauritius
          Middle East
          Morocco
          New Zealand
          Pakistan
          Philippines
          Seychelles
          Spain
          Sri Lanka
          Thailand
          Turkey
          United Kingdom
          United States of America
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          SOUTH AFRICA / ISRAEL: Israel bans entry from Southern African countries

          Due to the newly-discovered SA variant of COVID-19, Israel has banned entry of travellers from South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, and Eswatini, according to News18. Israeli citizens returning from these countries must stay in a designated quarantine motel for seven days, even if they are fully vaccinated. They will be released after two negative PCR tests. Those who refuse to be tested must stay in quarantine for 12 days, PM Naftali Bennett has confirmed.
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          Avianca : to relaunch London connection in the spring

          Avianca has confirmed the resumption of flights on the London to Bogotá route. Daily departures will begin on March 27th next year. The carrier said the decision to relaunch the route follows the lifting of restrictions for travellers arriving from Latin America in to the UK. “We are pleased to resume direct flights between the United Kingdom and Colombia, offering more and better options to our customers traveling between Europe and Latin America.
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          British Airways : returns to US from Gatwick

          Following the recent reopening of US borders for Brits, British Airways’ first transatlantic flight from Gatwick took off earlier bound for Tampa, Florida. The airline’s services to Tampa will operate three times a week. British Airways will also resume flights from Gatwick to popular family holiday-hotspot Orlando on Friday. This is the first time the airline has operated to these destinations, and to the US from Gatwick, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March last year. British Airways is planning on operating to 23 US airports this winter, more than any other transatlantic carrier, with 246 flights a week from January.
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          Finnair : launches two new Norway routes

          Finnair will start flying between Helsinki and Bergen and Tromsø in Norway on December 14th. The routes will be operated by Norwegian regional airline Widerøe, and the flights are sold and marketed by Finnair. “We are pleased to restart our services to Bergen and Tromsø,” said Ole Orvér, chief commercial officer at Finnair.
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          Emirates : confirms wider premium economy rollout

          Emirates has confirmed it will retrofit 105 of its wide-body aircraft with its premium economy product, in addition to other cabin enhancements. The 18-month retrofit programme, scheduled to begin at the end of 2022, will be entirely conducted at Emirates’ engineering centre in Dubai. It will see 52 Emirates A380s and 53 Boeing 777s fitted with the new cabin class. The airline is also considering installing a brand-new business class product on its Boeing 777 aircraft, with customised seats in a one-two-one layout.
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          Emirates to launch flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv

          Emirates Airline has announced intentions to launch daily flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, with service beginning on December 6. Emirates will give more alternatives for travellers to and from Tel Aviv through Dubai with the launch of services in only a few weeks, according to Adnan Kazim, Emirates Airline’s Chief Commercial Officer. Emirates had already been operating in Israel through its low-cost flyDubai budget airline, which currently operates four weekly flights between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
          Middle East
          Airline

          US lifts Covid travel restrictions

          On 8 November, the US will ease restrictions that effectively halted tourism and non-essential travel from 33 countries, including the UK, most of Europe and China. Now all visitors with a WHO-approved vaccination (which includes AstraZeneca) will be allowed to visit the US. Visitors with passports from any country where fewer than 10% of the country’s population has been vaccinated will also be allowed.
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          Canada opening 8 more airports to international travel

          Canada will be reopening more airports to international fights starting on November 30, the same day that passengers and crews will have to prove that they are fully vaccinated if they want to depart from a Canadian airport. The eight airports that are reopening include: St. John’s International John C. Munro Hamilton International Region of Waterloo International Regina International Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Kelowna International Abbotsford International Victoria International
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          Israel to reopen to vaccinated travellers from 1 Nov 2021

          Starting from November 1, Israel will be reopened to tourists fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to a plan jointly drafted by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s office and the Ministries of Tourism and Health. Under the plan, individual tourists who are fully inoculated with vaccines produced by Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Sinovac, and Sinopharm will be allowed to enter the country
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          Sweden Removes Entry Ban for All Travellers From UAE & Bahrain

          Starting from next Tuesday, October 19, travellers from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain can enter Sweden restriction-free, regardless of their vaccination status, the Swedish Ministry of Justice has announced. It also notes that in spite of the entry ban exemption, travellers from UAE and Bahrain are still required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result upon entry into Sweden.
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          Emirates to restart flights to London Gatwick in December

          Emirates will restart flights to London Gatwick Airport (LGW) from December 10, responding to the easing of international travel restrictions and an upsurge in passenger demand for winter sun. The airline will resume services to its second London gateway with a daily flight operated by a B777 aircraft, across First, Business and Economy class. By the end of December, the airline will offer 84 weekly flights to the UK, making it easier for UK customers to access Emirates' growing global network of over 120 destinations - close to 90 percent of Emirates' pre-pandemic network, and for international travellers to visit the UK.
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          UK opens up air travel routes to the UAE for fully vaccinated travellers

          Coronavirus-related restrictions on UK-UAE air travel routes will be eased further next month as part of an overhaul of Britain's controversial traffic light system. The UAE was initially put on the UK’s travel red list on January 29, meaning that all UK arrivals must quarantine in a government-mandated hotel for 10 days. But, in a further easing of travel rules, the UK removed the amber list altogether, enabling the UAE to move to its new non-red list.
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          UAE to lift travel ban on vaccinated residents from Indian from September 12

          The United Arab Emirates will allow vaccinated residents with valid visas, who were on the travel ban list, from countries like India to return starting from September 12, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) announced on Friday. The decision includes passengers coming from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Namibia, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Liberia, South Africa, Nigeria, and Afghanistan.
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