NAMIBIA: Country eases self-isolation requirements for tourists

The tourism ministry of Namibia has announced that it has further eased restrictions on international tourists to encourage an increase in visitors; according to the amendments, arrivals are now permitted to travel to their pre-booked destination and take part in activities for up to five days, after which they will be tested for COVID-19. If they stay at their pre-booked destination for less than five days, they can proceed to another destination without a test. Under rules previously introduced in July, tourists were required to self-isolate at their first destination for seven days, which resulted in a large number of cancellations.
Namibia
Borders
Leisure

SINGAPORE AIRLINES: Updated flight schedules published for September, October and November 2020

The airline, along with partner carrier SilkAir, has published its latest schedule update for flights in September, October and November 2020. Among the updates are reinstated flights to three destinations including Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Taipei, Taiwan. The airlines have said that following these resumptions, by the end of November flight capacity will have reached 11% of pre-COVID-19 levels.
Australia
Canada
New Zealand
Singapore
South Africa
United Kingdom
United States of America
Airline
Singapore Airlines
SilkAir
Business
Leisure

AUSTRALIA: City of Melbourne extends COVID-19 lockdown by two weeks until 28 September 2020

A strict COVID-19 lockdown in the Australian city of Melbourne has been extended by at least two weeks until 28 September, following an announcement by the state premier; the current stage four restrictions were previously due to ease from 13 September. A gradual easing of the measures will be implemented from October. In the meantime, city residents will be subject to a slightly eased curfew, from 21.00 to 05.00 (local time) daily.
Australia
Borders
Business
Leisure

UNITED KINGDOM: Government of Wales announces updated travel corridor restrictions

The government of the devolved UK administration of Wales has said that as of 04.00 (GMT+1) this morning, 4 September, arrivals from mainland Portugal, Gibraltar, French Polynesia and six Greek Islands must self-isolate on arrival. Among the Greek islands affected are Crete, Zakynthos, Mykonos, Lesvos, Paros and Antiparos. The announcement is the first time that the government of Wales has opted to set different quarantine rules to those of England and the UK government.
United Kingdom
Borders
Business
Leisure

UNITED KINGDOM: Government of Scotland announces updated quarantine requirements from 5 September 2020

The government of the devolved UK administration of Scotland has said that as of 04.00 (GMT+1) tomorrow, 5 September, arrivals from Portugal and French Polynesia must self-isolate on arrival. The announcement is the latest in a number of occasions over the last few months whereby the government of Scotland has opted to set different quarantine rules to those of England and the UK government.
French Polynesia
Portugal
United Kingdom
Borders
Business
Leisure

NEW ZEALAND: Jetstar extends suspension of domestic flights until 16 September 2020

Low-cost carrier Jetstar has suspended all New Zealand Domestic flights until at least the end of Wednesday 16 September; this follows the New Zealand government's recent announcement of the extension of COVID-19 alert level 2 across New Zealand, and 2.5 in the city of Auckland, until 23.59 (local time) on 16 September 2020.
New Zealand
Airline
Jetstar
Business
Leisure

EUROSTAR: Rail operator to extend closure of two UK stations until at least 2022

The cross-channel rail provider has announced that Eurostar trains will not stop in the UK county of Kent until 2022, due in a drop in demand related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Services have not been stopping in the two affected stations, Ashford and Ebbsfleet, since March - however the decision to extend this closure until 2022 has come as a surprise to many, and is not a decision that the provider says has been taken lightly.
Belgium
France
United Kingdom
Rail
Eurostar
Business
Leisure

AUSTRALIA: Country's prime minister hopes to open interstate borders by December 2020

The country’s prime minister has said that he’s pressing state governments within Australia to re-open their internal borders by December in order to ease interstate travel restrictions. He also pledged to bring more Australians home, which would involve the raising of the current cap of 4,000 international arrivals per week to the country's airports.
Australia
Borders
Business
Leisure

MALAYSIA: Country restricts entry for long-term visa holders from nine further countries

The government of Malaysia yesterday, 3 September, added at least nine more countries to its list of those from which long-term immigration pass holders will be barred entry to the country. From 7 September, entry will be restricted for those with the aforementioned visas from countries including the UK, United States, France, India, Indonesia and the Philippines.
France
India
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
United Kingdom
United States of America
Borders
Business

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Country to ease COVID-19 pre-testing requirements from October 2020

The government of the Dominican Republic has announced that from the end of September it will eliminate the entry requirement for arriving international visitors whereby proof of a negative COVID-19 test result, obtained a maximum of five days prior to departure, must be presented. In it's place, a new system will use a rapid breathalyzer-style test performed on selected passengers at random. The test takes five minutes to return results, and reportedly detects if passengers have been exposed to COVID-19 within the previous four hours.
Dominican Republic
Borders
Business
Leisure

NEW ZEALAND: Country to retain COVID-19 lockdown measures until mid-September 2020

The country’s prime minister today, 4 September, announced the retention of current COVID-19 restrictions in New Zealand until at least mid-September; this means that Auckland will remain on alert level 2.5, limiting gatherings to no more than 10 people, and the rest of the country will remain on the less restricted alert level 2. A review will be due on 14 September.
New Zealand
Borders
Business
Leisure

QATAR AIRWAYS: Airline to resume flights to five additional destinations in September 2020

The middle-eastern airline has announced that during September it will resume flights to Houston, Kathmandu, Mogadishu, Philadelphia and Sialkot; this will mean that Qatar Airways will from mid-September offer over 650 weekly flights to 85 destinations, which it says will provide flexible travel options to more global destinations than any other airline.
Middle East
Somalia
United States of America
Airline
Qatar Airways
Business
Leisure

VIETNAM: Country plans to resume flights to six Asian cities from September 2020

The country’s government has said that it plans to resume international commercial flights to and from six Asian cities from mid-September; the destinations proposed are Guangzhou, Seoul, Vientiane, Phnom Penh, Taipei and Tokyo. Arriving passengers to Vietnam will still be required to undergo two weeks of quarantine.
Japan
Laos
Mainland China
South Korea
Taiwan
Vietnam
Borders
Business
Leisure

KENYA: Country re-opens to international travellers

The government of Kenya has said that it its borders are now re-open to international travellers; passengers on international flights must show a negative COVID-19 certificate on arrival obtained no more than 96 hours prior to departure from their home country. Passenger body temperatures must be below 37.5°C and visitors must not have a persistent cough, difficulty breathing, or other flu-like symptoms. If passengers comply with all the above and are from countries considered low to medium risk COVID-19 transmission areas they will be exempt from quarantine. All arriving passengers must complete a traveller health surveillance form online prior to disembarkation; they will receive a QR code after completion and must show it to a port health official in order to proceed through immigration.
Kenya
Borders
Business
Leisure

NIGERIA: Country relaxes nationwide curfew but denies entry to some international airlines

The government of Nigeria has announced the country's third gradual easing of its COVID-19 lockdown; it will last for four weeks and during this period a curfew will now be in place for four hours daily from 00.01 (local time) to 04.00. However, ahead of international flights finally resuming from 5 September, some airlines will be initially denied entry, and a list has now been released. Some airlines though have been denied approval because international flights were yet to resume in their countries; approved airlines are expected to operate within COVID-19 protocols.
Nigeria
Borders
Business
Leisure

INDIGO: Indian low-cost airline commences flights between the Maldives and India from 3 September 2020

Indian low-cost airline IndiGo will from today, 3 September, commence flights between the capital of the Maldives, Male and India's Kochi under a bilateral air bubble agreement. Initially this new service will operate twice per week.
India
Maldives
Airline
Borders
Indigo
Business
Leisure

COSTA RICA: Country to permit entry for residents of six additional U.S. states and counties

The country’s tourism ministry has announced that residents of two further U.S. states, plus Washington DC, are now permitted to enter, and three additional states will be added to the list on 15 September; Colorado, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. This will bring the total number of states from which residents are able to enter Costa Rica to 12.
Costa Rica
United States of America
Borders
Business
Leisure

AIR CANADA: Airline restricts use of face masks with exhalation valves by passengers

The airline has announced that it will no longer permit passengers to wear face masks with exhalation valves on board, as it claims that they have been deemed ineffective in protecting against COVID-19. In an update published on the airline website, it states that although valves make the mask more breathable for the person wearing it, they also allow infectious respiratory droplets to spread outside the mask.
Canada
United Kingdom
United States of America
Airline
Air Canada
Business
Leisure

RUSSIA: Country resumes international flights with three additional countries

The country has resumed international flights with Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the Maldives according to a Russian government order published today. Three flights per week are reportedly authorised to Cairo, as well as two flights per week to Dubai and the Maldives.
Egypt
Maldives
Middle East
Russia
Borders
Business
Leisure