The Netherlands has instituted a strict requirement for passengers arriving in the country, including citizens and permanent residents, and those transiting at KLM’s hub Schiphol.
You need to provide a negative PCR-RT test that is administered no more than 72 hours before ARRIVAL to the Netherlands (not at the time of departure).
Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory at the tip of the Iberian Peninsula, is, according to the El Pais, set to join Schengen on January 1, 2021, if Brexit negotiations are concluded.
This would mean that passengers arriving from the UK would need to clear passport control upon arrival in Gibraltar and adhere to the entry requirements for third-country nationals entering the 22 country bloc + Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.
Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE and home of the National airline of Etihad, will begin allowing tourism arrivals from December 24, 2020.
All passengers need to provide a negative PCR-RT test done a maximum of 96 hours before their scheduled departure and will be tested again upon arrival. Those arriving from the concise list of Green List countries can then roam without quarantine after receiving a negative test result.
Many countries have restricted or temporarily banned passenger flights, ferries, and trains arriving from the UK after the prime minister Mr. Johnson announced on Saturday that a new, more potent Covid-19 strain was causing a higher number of infections in the Southeast and London.
The UK exited the European Union at the beginning of 2020. Still, the freedom of movement rights applies to British citizens until the end of this year, when the transition period ends.
European countries have started to close their borders from UK arrivals (air, ferry & train) after a more potent mutation of Covid-19 is widely circling in the country.
Netherlands was the first European country to close its border for all passenger flights from the UK, and soon Belgium, Italy, Ireland, and Germany followed, and many more are contemplating. European Union and Schengen-area are planning a group-wide ban.
The UK Prime Minister on Saturday announced a Tier 4 lockdown for Southeast England, including London, that bans all non-essential travel. Mr. Johnson gave a more contagious strain of Covid-19 as one of the reasons for the action.
Now, the Netherlands’ Government has decided to ban all passenger flights from the UK effective immediately until January 1, 2021.
The Covid-19 infections are surging around Europe, and several countries have instituted travel bans and lockdowns for the festive year-end season from Christmas to New Year.
Southeast England has been hit with a more transmissible version of the virus. The prime minister has decided to put the area under Tier 4 lockdown, including banning all non-essential travel in the area that includes both Luton and Heathrow Airports.
Brazil, a country heavily affected with the coronavirus pandemic, reopened its borders for international arrivals on July 31, 2020, first with an insurance requirement that was withdrawn in October.
The country is now battling with the second wave and will require a negative Covid-19 RT-PCR test performed no more than 72 hours before scheduled departure to Brazil, effective December 30, 2020. This also applies to Brazilians returning home.
Australia and New Zealand have discussed a possible trans-Tasman or Pacific (includes small pacific islands) travel bubble for months, and it seemed like it had fallen off the radar.
The New Zealand Prime Minister made headlines on Monday after declaring that a bubble with Australia would likely be possible in early 2021, and another (holiday) one with the Cook Islands during the first quarter.
Japan launched a GoTo Travel-campaign late summer to help the domestic hospitality sector when the country stays closed for international tourist arrivals.
GoTo Travel subsidizes 35% of the accommodation and other activity costs while an additional 15% is provided in coupons usable at local merchants, bringing the discount to 50% (at least sometimes – hotels have inflated their prices).
Australia, one of the few democratic countries that prevent citizens from leaving, has extended the outbound travel ban by three months through March 17, 2021 (likely going to be extended further).
There are still Australians stranded overseas that have not been able to secure flights or limited quarantine spots.
According to the local media, Japan, which is scheduled to host the Summer Olympics of 2020 next year, unless canceled, is mulling an idea of allowing limited package tours from China in the spring.
The plan is to allow a small number of organized tours that would not use public transportation at all. They would file a detailed plan of the trip to Japan, and participants would need to provide a negative for Covid-19 results before entering.
Qantas CEO made headlines last week when he said that the airline would require Covid-19 vaccination proof once they start to ramp up international flights in the second half of 2021.
The IATA CEO disagreed with Alan Joyce’s view, but international vaccination certificates are already required in many countries, depending on where you are flying from.
U.S. Depart of Transportation (US DOT) today issued a ruling that affects those traveling with Emotional Support and Service Animals.
DOT now defines a service animal as a dog, no more cats or miniature horses, and airlines no longer need to accept emotional support animals (no longer considered service animals).
