Greece Extends All Air Travel Restrictions Until January 7

Photo source: Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA)

The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) on Sunday extended all travel restrictions for domestic and international flights, previously announced to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country, until January 7, 2021.

3-day mandatory quarantine

The authority also issued a new aviation directive informing that all travelers entering Greece on flights from abroad from Friday, December 18, will be required to enter a mandatory three-day precautionary quarantine. The new directive follows the announcement made by the government last week and aims to protect passengers and citizens from the coronavirus.

According to the directive, all passengers entering Greece from December 18 until January 7, 2021, from any foreign country, including European Union member states, must self-isolate either at their home (for permanent residents) or at the place of temporary residence declared on the Passenger Locator Form (PLF), for three days, unless they remain in Greece for a shorter period, in which case the temporary restriction is valid for that period of time, ie until their departure.

Travelers from abroad, arriving from December 18 until January 7, 2021, will also have to submit a negative Covid-19 test result (PCR) performed up to 72 hours before arrival in Greece and also take a rapid Covid-19 test upon entry.

All flying restrictions extended

Moreover, the HCAA said that all previously announced travel restrictions will remain in place until January 7, 2021, at midnight for international flights and until at 6am for domestic flights.

More specifically:

– The aviation directive concerning domestic scheduled, commercial and general/business flights has been extended. The directive foresees that only essential travel is allowed for health reasons, business reasons, family reunification, and returning to permanent residence.

– Flights between Greece – Turkey and Greece – Catalonia, Spain, remain suspended.

– All flights to and from Greece from Albania and North Macedonia will continue to operate only through Athens International Airport (AIA). Until the restriction is lifted there will be no routes from those countries to any other Greek airports.

– Only 10,000 travelers from Israel per week are allowed to enter Greece on flights landing at all airports in the country.

– Only 500 permanent residents of Russia per week are allowed to enter Greece on flights landing (only) at the airports of Athens, Thessaloniki and Heraklion.

Ban for entry of non-EU Citizens extended

The aviation directive that bans entry to Greece for non-EU Citizens has also been extended until January 7. Citizens from the following 9 countries are excluded from the ban: Singapore, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, Uruguay and the United Arab Emirates.

Negative Covid-19 test result, PLF remain mandatory

Those traveling to Greece on flights from abroad are allowed to enter the country only by presenting a negative Covid-19 test result (PCR) performed up to 72 hours before arrival.

Also, the submission of the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) by all passengers of international flights to Greece remains mandatory.

It is noted that Greek citizens and permanent residents of Greece who travel abroad on flights (outbound travel) are also required to fill out the PLF form before their departure from Greece and present it at border checkpoints.

The PLF form is available here.

According to the HCAA, all exceptions of the previously announced directives continue to be in force.

It is reminded that Greece has extended its second nationwide lockdown until January 7 (with a limited easing of certain restrictions), in efforts to contain the virus and limit the high number of intubations and fatalities.