DELLAS

We are ready to welcome you back!

All of us at AEGEAN try to serve you in the best possible way every day, having your health and safety as a priority.

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have been continuously adapting our flight schedule according to the restrictions imposed by the competent authorities that monitor the epidemiological data.

Today, as travel within Europe opens up and restrictions are being loosened, we are excited to be finally able to expand our network and connect again Greece to Europe and Europe to Greece. Therefore, as of June 15th, we start to bring back international destinations and will continue to gradually increase your travel choices the coming days, as to travel you again to your favorite places.

At this new start of ours, we must together ensure that travel remains safe. So, in addition to the extended health and safety measures we have put in place, you should also be aware of each country’s specific regulations regarding your entry and stay requirements at your departure, arrival and transit countries.

To help you plan your next travel, here are some key points of the flight restrictions currently imposed by the Greek Government for arrivals to Greece effective June 15th and until June 30th 2020.

Arriving passengers are categorized in accordance with their origin in three distinct groups as follows:

GROUP A: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland.

GROUP B: Albania, Belgium, France, Italy, North Macedonia, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, other non-EU countries.

- Passengers arriving at Athens International Airport originating from GROUP A will be subject to random Covid-19 testing upon their arrival.

- Passengers arriving at Athens International Airport originating from GROUP B, either with a direct flight or through a country included in Group A, will be subject to 100% Covid-19 testing upon their arrival.

- Passengers arriving at Thessaloniki Airport, will be subject to 100% Covid-19 testing upon their arrival.

All international passengers will be provided during check in or on board, with a Passenger Location Form, to be filled and provided to the authorities upon arrival.

Tested passengers have to compulsory self-isolate in the address they will declare for 24 hours, until the testing outcome is available.

Connecting Passengers are subject to COVID-19 testing upon their arrival in Athens or Thessaloniki and will be able to continue their trip to their final destination, where they will self-isolate until the testing outcome is available.

Furthermore, the Greek Goverment has extended flight restrictions from/to UK and Turkey until June 29th, 2020.

giorginho

DELLAS I was looking at that announcement yesterday, but it wasn't complete yet with all the details (I believe the text stopped just before the "Tested passengers..." (but the UK/Turkey restriction was there). I got a call from a family member (I am on a "Group A flight" on the 27th) yesterday (which is why I went online looking for that piece of info), that if I were to get tested I'd be put in quarantine for 24h (meaning "the hotel"), I said "there's no way, they don't have nearly enough rooms to put all tested people there" (as of the 15th the increase in arriving pax will be gigantic compared to the numbers arriving now)... so thanks for this update, this "rule" makes much more sense. It also answers the question of what happens to connecting passengers (though I'm taking the car this time).

headingwest

They're really keen to welcome me back, they sent me 2 e-mails!

Arrivals

Hi DELLAS!

This info is not in line with the link to the Greek MFA provided in the message. As headingwest, I received a second mail (updated version) but could not figure out the difference. Anyway it is good that Aegean took its time to gather these info and share them.

Xandrios

I'm curious to see how these groups are separated. Just based on trust in people? Do they have a system to scan the BP and figure it out from the itinerary? Will they look at people's passport, nationality?

While previously they talked about originating airport rather than country, that difference is now less obvious. For example, if I were to come in from Düsseldorf.. Having traveled to the airport from Netherlands. Does that make me group A or B. The government rules say A, while Aegean rules can easily be interpreted to put me in B..

Also, kind of wonder about the logistics of it all. If having to be tested who will choose a hotel and pay for the room rate? There's only the sofitel and maybe holiday Inn that's reasonably close. And both are not cheap - meaning I may not be happy to get stuck with a sofitel bill, and the government may not want to put people up in the sofitel for the same reason if they are the ones paying. And at ~180 pax per flight those hotels will fill up real fast..

giorginho

You're clearly group A. I am pretty sure these aren't any "Aegean rules", just the government ones. Aegean sent me the Greek version of the email late last night and in that text it is very clear that it is the "country you are flying out of" that counts. It has been like that the entire time anyway. Even people from the US have arrived via intermediate airports, regardless of the complete ban...!
PS. My understanding was that the hotel is in the center of Athens and is financed by the government (so you don't pay anything). I would imagine they would not use sofitel as such a "covid-hotel", as that would be very inconvenient for everyone else...

johnirvine

The main difference is that Israel was mistakenly included among the category A countries. Covid-19 cases have been rising in Israel recently and both Greece and Cyprus have demoted the country from their unrestricted list.

ahmetdouas

There is no more hotel, you are tested then self isolate at home until the result. If you are positive then they may do more measures, but so far very few positive people from flights. Does anyone have the Passenger Locator Form that you have to fill out before landing in Athens? Does it ask where you have been last 14 days? Because maybe then they see if you have been in a 'naughty' country before and force you to take a test, as if you look at the incoming flight then its hard to tell, especially if you have separate tickets.

DELLAS

Greece has reportedly extended the ban on flights from the UK until 15 July, dashing hopes of an early return for holidaymakers.

headingwest

A very sensible move, I'd say!

ahmetdouas

I don't see what the huge issue is for people who really need to get to Greece; just fly via ZRH/MUC/FRA/GVA, they have multiple daily options. This affects mainly leisure travellers from secondary airports.

nk15

Those two weeks of delay may make the difference in finishing the summer without lockdowns or not...

GVA

The form your fill out before arrival to Greece specifically asks to list the countries you have visited 14 days prior to entering Greece.

Of course it's up to each individual to answer forms truthfully or be a selfish prick who will potentially infect dozens just for a week in the sun.

ahmetdouas

I answered the form truthfully flying in from the UK and Aegean even directly gave me the orange form as they knew from my itinerary and seat number that I was connecting in Switzerland via the UK, but I still was not checked upon arrival. I am just saying the risk of being tested is lower if you connect from a safer country, at least until 1 July as once their quota is filled, they cannot test anymore arrivals, and they will prioritise direct arrivals from the 'naughty list' and in those cases likely test the whole plane instead of 2-3 pax from a UK origin connecting via Switzerland.

Greece said it themselves, they are prioritising testing based on who they think are the most likely to be infected from their algorithms, as from July 1 once the floodgates will be open it will be impossible to test all arrivals from 'dangerous countries'.

irishguy28

Hang on - what is changing as of tomorrow?