Greece Extends Covid-19 Air Travel Restrictions, Requirements

The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) on Sunday extended travel restrictions for domestic and international flights in Greece, as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country.

Domestic travel: Only essential trips allowed

All non-essential travel between Greek prefectures will remain prohibited until Monday, May 10, at 6am.
The non-essential travel restriction for domestic flights in Greece concerns domestic scheduled, commercial and general/business flights. According to the aviation directive, only essential travel is allowed for health and business reasons, family reunification, and returning to permanent residence.

International flights – Restrictions, Requirements

According to the HCAA’s updated Covid-19 aviation directive (NOTAM), the following travel restrictions and requirements for international arrivals will remain in place until Monday, May 3:

PLF remains mandatory
The submission of the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) by all passengers of international flights to Greece remains mandatory.
The rule also applies to Greek citizens and permanent residents of Greece who travel abroad on flights (outbound travel). They are required to fill out the PLF form before their departure from Greece and present it at border checkpoints.

Travel ban for non-EU residents / Exemptions
The temporary ban on entry into Greece from outside the EU has been updated. Only citizens traveling for essential reasons from the following 12 countries are excluded from the ban: UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Serbia, United States of America and Israel.

Mandatory negative Covid-19 test result
All travelers from abroad must submit a negative Covid-19 test result (PCR) performed up to 72 hours before arrival in Greece. The rule includes children traveling from abroad, aged five and over.
International travelers may also be requested to take a rapid Covid-19 test upon entry (depending on the data provided on the PLF forms). If a passenger is selected for a rapid test and is positive for the coronavirus then he/she must quarantine for a total of 14 days.

7-day quarantine rule / Exemptions
All passengers entering Greece from abroad must self-isolate either at their home (for permanent residents) or at the place of temporary residence declared on the PLF, for 7 days.

Travelers from the following countries qualify for exemption from mandatory quarantine: all EU member states and the members of the border-free Schengen area, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Russia and Singapore, considering that they have been fully vaccinated or tested negative for Covid-19. (See here for further information.)
It is reminded that passengers may be requested to take a rapid Covid-19 test upon entry (depending on the data provided on the PLF forms).

Arrivals from Russia
According to the directive, travelers from Russia will have to present both a negative PCR test and a vaccination certificate in order to be exempt from the quarantine rule.
The updated Covid-19 aviation directive also states that Russian travelers are now allowed to enter Greece on flights landing at nine airports (as opposed to just three that was the rule until now), as long as they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and also present a negative test. These airports are: Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Corfu, Rhodes, Kos, Mykonos, Santorini and Chania. Greece has a cap on the number of weekly admissions of Russians visitors. Only 4,000 permanent residents of Russia per week are allowed to enter Greece.