Greece lifts restrictions on flights from Turkey, Albania

Greece has lifted restrictions on flights from Turkey, Albania and North Macedonia that were imposed to curb the spread of Covid-19, its civil aviation authority (YPA) said on Sunday.

All passengers from abroad will however need to show they have a negative Covid-19 test, taken within 72 hours of their arrival, YPA said. They will also have to quarantine at home or at their place of stay for seven days.

YPA also increased the limit on visitors from Russia, to 4,000 per week from 500 before, with flights allowed to the airports of Athens, Thessaloniki and Iraklio in Crete.

Passengers from Britain and the United Arab Emirates will be subject to a mandatory rapid Covid-19 test upon arrival in Greece, the authority added. Arrivals from Britain will have to take another test after their seven-day quarantine expires.

Random testing will also be conducted on arriving passengers. If travellers test positive, their quarantine will be extended to 14 days.

Greece will lift some Covid-19 lockdown restrictions next week as part of a plan to gradually reopen the economy, even as its hospitals remain under pressure. [Reuters]