Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced the extension of the prohibition on non-essential travel for domestic flights until Monday, February 8, 2021, at 6:00 a.m. to safeguard passengers and people from COVID-19 illness.
Domestic flights (regular passenger services, general aviation, and commercial flights – domestic flights, commercial, and general / business aviation) are specifically excluded from the directive, which states that all essential airports in the country must allow only essential domestic travel (Essential Travel), which includes travel for health reasons, business/business purposes, and objective family purposes.
The following flights are exempt from the air directive (Notam):
* Flights with indications of being in a risky position (emergency flights).
* Flights in support of the Hellenic National Health System (Hellenic national healthcare system flights).
* Government flights.
* Sanitary flights.
* Humanitarian flights.
* Military flights.
* Cargo flights.
* Flights of the Frontex (Frontex flights).
* Flights with technical landings in which passengers do not disembark.
* Return flights are available only with the crew (ferry flights).
International Arrival Restrictions
Travelers are subject to mandatory precautionary restrictions at their home or temporary residence, as specified on the Passenger Locator Form, for seven (7) days, unless they are in Greece for a shorter period, in which case the temporary restriction is valid for the duration of their stay, ie until their departure.
Additionally, foreign travelers will undergo a quick screening upon arrival, as specified in the Passenger Locator Form. If testing reveals a positive passenger, the quarantine will be in effect for 14 days.
The Passenger Locator Form (PLF) is critical to the planning process. All passengers must complete their PLF until the day before entering the nation, including full information about their place of departure, past foreign visits, and the address of their stay in Greece. They are needed to disclose the address for the first 24 hours, at the very least, in the case of numerous stays. Each family should submit one PLF.
- After submitting the PLF, travelers will get a confirmation email.
- On the day of their scheduled arrival in Greece (at 12:00 a.m.), travelers will get the PLF with their unique Quick Response (QR) code and will be alerted through email (the QR code will be provided in a link in the confirmation email).
- Travelers who board or embark on the day before their arrival will be permitted to do so upon presentation of their confirmation email since they will get their QR code during their flight or journey.
Additionally, the PLF is available on the Visit Greece app and at travel.gov.gr.
United Kingdom – seven-day quarantine, fast test, and a novel polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test: Everyone, including inbound travelers from the United Kingdom, will undergo a quick screening upon arrival. Simultaneously, travelers from the United Kingdom will be required to undertake a fresh PCR test following the completion of the seven-day quarantine period.
International arrivals are permitted only with a negative 72-hour PCR test: According to the NOTAM, all international flight passengers are permitted to enter the country with a negative PCR test Covid-19 done up to 72 hours before to their arrival. Passengers will, however, be subjected to a sample test upon entering Greek territory in accordance with the PLF.
Flight suspension with Turkey / Catalonia: The flight suspension between Greece and Turkey, as well as between Greece and the Spanish area of Catalonia, has been extended.
Arrivals solely at AIA from Albania / Northern Macedonia: All flights to and from Greece from Albania and Northern Macedonia will be operated exclusively at AIA “Eleftherios Venizelos” under the new extension of NOTAM.
Prohibition of Non-European Citizens’ Entrance into Greece: The air directive also extends the prohibition on Non-European Citizens’ (Non-EU Citizens’) entry into the nation.
Israel and Russia have been added to the aviation directive’s exclusions, increasing the total number of nations free from Greece’s entrance restriction to 11. NOTAM specifically excludes citizens of the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and the Russian Federation.
Travelers from the Russian Federation: Special limitations apply to Russia (permanent residents), including arrivals at Athens, Thessaloniki, and Heraklion airports and a weekly cap of 500 passengers in Greece.
Each airport will be limited to 10,000 people per week entering from Israel.
Exceptions to previously issued NOTAMs apply to any international flight instructions that have been extended until Monday, February 8, 2021.