Greece has restricted flights from Britain and Sweden until 15 July. The decision was made Monday, two days before Greek borders opened to international travellers. Other flights banned to Greece are from the United States, Russia, Israel, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Northern Macedonia.
The decision has forced EasyJet, Ryanair and TUI to cancel flights to Greece over the next month.
An EasyJet spokesperson said the carrier would be reviewing its flight schedule and customers whose flights are required to be cancelled as a result of any restrictions would be notified and informed of their options “which include a free of charge transfer, a voucher for the value of their booking or a refund”.
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reportedly said, “The whole opening process is dynamic and the data will be constantly evaluated.”
READ MORE: Greek airport authorities to target passengers for testing using ‘barcodes’
All passengers arriving to Greece are required to fill a Passenger Locator Form (PLF) at least 48 hours before check-in. The PLF includes information about their departure airport and expected duration of their stay. The form is part of the country’s planning for protection against the COVID-19 pandemic and will allow authorities to create barcodes for travellers so that testing of new arrivals can be targetted.
Greece has also launched a trilingual information campaign in English, French and German, “Enjoy your stay – Stay safe”, which is targetted at tourists. The campaign includes messages at Greek entry points.
Borders with Turkey open
Government spokesman Stelios Petsas said northern border gates between Greece and Turkey would be open from Wednesday.
The border stations of Evzoni, Kakavia, Krystallopigi, Promachonas, Nymfaia, Kipi, and Kastanies will now be open, after remaining closed since the end of February 2020.
The decision is considered controversial bearing in mind volatile relations between Greece and Turkey.