Civil Aviation Authority extends guidelines for travel to and from islands
Civil Aviation Authority
23 Aug 2021
/ 12:36
ATHENS. Passengers travelling from the mainland to islands can travel only by presenting a vaccination certificate, a negative test (72-hour PCR / 48-hour RAPID) or a recovery certificate.
The extension will be valid until Monday 30 August at 6:00am.
Passengers travelling from the mainland to islands can travel only by presenting a vaccination certificate or a negative test (72-hour PCR / 48-hour RAPID) or a recovery certificate. When returning from the islands, travellers can also only board with a vaccination certificate or a recovery certificate or a negative test (72-hour PCR / 48-hour RAPID / 24-hour self-test). The 12-17 age group can also travel to and from the islands with a 24-hour self-test. The measures are aimed at reducing the spread of Covid-19.
All passengers on domestic flights to and from island destinations must meet one of the following conditions:
1) They must present a vaccination certificate stating that 14 days have passed since full vaccination for Covid-19. In the case of foreign nationals coming from abroad, they must present a vaccination certificate in Greek, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian or Russian, issued by a public authority in accordance with the relevant legislation. The vaccination certificate shall include the person’s full name, the type of vaccine and the number of doses.
Alternatively, travellers may carry, in printed or digital form, an EU – or third-country – Digital Covid-19 Certificate, containing information on the vaccination or the result of the last test (48-hour rapid test or 72-hour PCR) or the recovery from Covid-19.
2) They must have been found negative for Covid-19 following either a laboratory PCR test within the last 72 hours prior to the scheduled travel time or a rapid test within 48 hours prior to their arrival.
Alternatively, for passengers travelling by air from the islands to mainland Greece, it is also possible to board with a negative self-test carried out up to 24 hours before the scheduled time of departure. In the case of foreign nationals coming from abroad, they may present a negative test certificate in Greek, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Italian or Russian.
3) They must present a recovery certificate issued 30 days after the first positive test, which will be valid for 180 days thereafter.
If these tests have been carried out in a foreign country and are valid at the time the passengers board the aircraft, the relevant certificates shall be accepted under the same conditions under which they were allowed to enter Greece.
Children up to 12 years old are exempt from all obligations and may travel without any test. Minors aged 12 to 17, the obligation to travel to and from island destinations may be covered by a 24-hour negative self-test certificate.
The above certificates can be presented either in printed form from the platforms www.gov.gr and HTTPS://SELF-TESTING.GOV.GR or in digital form with verification of the holder’s identity.
Use of masks
In the arrival and waiting areas in airports, as well as during flights, staff and passengers are required to wear a protective mask. Passengers are also required to comply with the instructions of the permanent and temporary airport or airline staff responsible for supervising, crowd management and passenger assistance, in order to maintain the necessary distances and to ensure safe boarding/disembarkation to avoid overcrowding.
General instructions for air travel
The abovementioned documents shall be checked by airline employees and randomly by the police authorities. Airlines are obliged to check the passenger before boarding to ensure that they have the necessary documents and, in case of violation, are obliged to repatriate the passenger at their own responsibility and expense.
Passengers travelling from the mainland to islands can travel only by presenting a vaccination certificate or a negative test (72-hour PCR / 48-hour RAPID) or a recovery certificate. When returning from the islands, travellers can also only board with a vaccination certificate or a recovery certificate or a negative test (72-hour PCR / 48-hour RAPID / 24-hour self-test). The 12-17 age group can also travel to and from the islands with a 24-hour self-test. The measures are aimed at reducing the spread of Covid-19.
All passengers on domestic flights to and from island destinations must meet one of the following conditions:
1) They must present a vaccination certificate stating that 14 days have passed since full vaccination for Covid-19. In the case of foreign nationals coming from abroad, they must present a vaccination certificate in Greek, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian or Russian, issued by a public authority in accordance with the relevant legislation. The vaccination certificate shall include the person’s full name, the type of vaccine and the number of doses.
Alternatively, travellers may carry, in printed or digital form, an EU – or third-country – Digital Covid-19 Certificate, containing information on the vaccination or the result of the last test (48-hour rapid test or 72-hour PCR) or the recovery from Covid-19.
2) They must have been found negative for Covid-19 following either a laboratory PCR test within the last 72 hours prior to the scheduled travel time or a rapid test within 48 hours prior to their arrival.
Alternatively, for passengers travelling by air from the islands to mainland Greece, it is also possible to board with a negative self-test carried out up to 24 hours before the scheduled time of departure. In the case of foreign nationals coming from abroad, they may present a negative test certificate in Greek, English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Italian or Russian.
3) They must present a recovery certificate issued 30 days after the first positive test, which will be valid for 180 days thereafter.
If these tests have been carried out in a foreign country and are valid at the time the passengers board the aircraft, the relevant certificates shall be accepted under the same conditions under which they were allowed to enter Greece.
Children up to 12 years old are exempt from all obligations and may travel without any test. Minors aged 12 to 17, the obligation to travel to and from island destinations may be covered by a 24-hour negative self-test certificate.
The above certificates can be presented either in printed form from the platforms www.gov.gr and HTTPS://SELF-TESTING.GOV.GR or in digital form with verification of the holder’s identity.
Use of masks
In the arrival and waiting areas in airports, as well as during flights, staff and passengers are required to wear a protective mask. Passengers are also required to comply with the instructions of the permanent and temporary airport or airline staff responsible for supervising, crowd management and passenger assistance, in order to maintain the necessary distances and to ensure safe boarding/disembarkation to avoid overcrowding.
General instructions for air travel
The abovementioned documents shall be checked by airline employees and randomly by the police authorities. Airlines are obliged to check the passenger before boarding to ensure that they have the necessary documents and, in case of violation, are obliged to repatriate the passenger at their own responsibility and expense.
