Aviation News

Boeing sees a chance to improve its position in India.Indian billionaire announces new ultra-low-cost carrier.New venture is already moving forward, US plane maker Boeing could get a chance to regain lost ground in India with billionaire Rakesh Jhunjhunwala announcing plans to launch new Indian ultra-low-cost airline. New Indian Ultra-Low-Cost Airline Could Be a Boon For Boeing Boeing’s Indian market standing was hurt by the fall of one of its biggest customers, Jet Airways, two years ago. Jhunjhunwala, known as “India’s Warren Buffett” for his successful stock investments, plans to team up with the former CEOs of IndiGo, the country’s biggest carrier, and Jet Airways to tap into demand for domestic air travel. While Jhunjhunwala’s proposed Akasa Air comes at a time when India’s aviation industry is reeling from the impact of the COVID pandemic, which has seen airlines losing billions of dollars, the sector’s long-term prospect makes it a hot market for plane makers Boeing and Airbus. One industry source said the new venture was already moving towards what could be one of the biggest deals of the year outside the United States to acquire purchased or leased 737s. For Boeing, this is a great opportunity to step in and up their game, considering they don’t have any other major operator for their 737 aircraft in India apart from SpiceJet. Boeing did not comment on Akasa’s plans but said it always seeks opportunities and talks to current and potential customers about how it can best support their fleet and operational needs. Jhunjhunwala, who is considering investing $35m and would own 40 percent of the carrier, expects to get a no-objection certificate from India’s aviation ministry in the next 15 days, he said. The ultra-low-cost airline’s team is looking at building a fleet of 70 180-passenger planes within four years, he said. Akasa’s other cofounders are Aditya Ghosh, who spent a decade with IndiGo and was credited with its early success, and Vinay Dube, former CEO of Jet who has also worked with Delta. Indian skies are dominated by low-cost carriers (LCCs) including IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoFirst and AirAsia India, the majority of them operating a fleet of Airbus narrow-body planes. Boeing dominates India’s wide-body market of 51 planes but fare wars and high costs have led to casualties among full-service carriers, including Kingfisher Airlines in 2012 and Jet Airways in 2019, making LCCs and Airbus even more dominant. Boeing’s share of India’s 570 narrow-body planes fell to 18 percent after Jet’s demise from 35 percent in 2018, data from consultancy CAPA India shows. Jet was recently rescued from bankruptcy and is expected to fly again. Indian carriers have more than 900 planes on order, of which 185 are Boeing 737 aircraft and 710 are Airbus, which counts IndiGo as one of its biggest customers globally.

Sheremetyevo is among the Top 5 airport hubs in Europe.Sheremetyevo is the largest Russian airport in terms of passenger and cargo traffic.In 2020, Sheremetyevo served 19 million 784 thousand passengers. Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport was recognized as the most punctual airport in Europe and the second most punctual in the world in the Global Airports category. Moscow Sheremetyevo Named the Most Punctual Airport in Europe Thanks to effective cooperation between the airport, airlines and air-traffic control agencies, the Sheremetyevo aerodrome has maintained high capacity and ensured a high level of punctuality of flights. Sheremetyevo was the first airport in Russia to develop and implement a system of joint decision-making with airlines, using its own innovative Synchron database. The most punctual air carriers at Sheremetyevo in May and June 2021, based on landings, departures from the parking area and takeoffs, were: Russian airlines: AeroflotRussia Severstal European airlines with more than 200 passenger flights: Air FranceKLMAir Serbia European airlines with less than 200 passenger flights: FinnairLOTBelavia Asia-Pacific Airlines: Japan AirlinesKorean AirAir India Airlines with more than 500 cargo flights: AviastarAeroflotAirBridgeCargo Airlines with fewer than 500 cargo flights: Air ChinaEmiratesCargoLogic Germany

Total demand for air travel in June 2021 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) was down 60.1% compared to June 2019.International passenger demand in June was 80.9% below June 2019.Total domestic demand was down 22.4% versus pre-crisis levels (June 2019). The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced passenger demand performance for June 2021 showing a very slight improvement in both international and domestic air travel markets. Demand remains significantly below pre-COVID-19 levels owing to international travel restrictions.  Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General As comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted, all comparisons are to June 2019, which followed a normal demand pattern. Total demand for air travel in June 2021 (measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs) was down 60.1% compared to June 2019. That was a small improvement over the 62.9% decline recorded in May 2021 versus May 2019.  International passenger demand in June was 80.9% below June 2019, an improvement from the 85.4% decline recorded in May 2021 versus two years ago. All regions with the exception of Asia-Pacific contributed to the slightly higher demand.  Total domestic demand was down 22.4% versus pre-crisis levels (June 2019), a slight gain over the 23.7% decline recorded in May 2021 versus the 2019 period. The performance across key domestic markets was mixed with Russia reporting robust expansion while China returned to negative territory.  “We are seeing movement in the right direction, particularly in some key domestic markets. But the situation for international travel is nowhere near where we need to be. June should be the start of peak season, but airlines were carrying just 20% of 2019 levels. That’s not a recovery, it’s a continuing crisis caused by government inaction,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. 

International travel is an export industry, and the balance of travel trade historically has favored the United States.Closed borders have not eliminated the spread of the delta variant.Continued border closures have further delayed the return of American jobs and a greater economic recovery. U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the news that England would soon begin welcoming fully vaccinated Americans: US Travel: England Reopening A Wise Decision “British government leaders have made a wise decision in reopening England to vaccinated travelers from the United States. It’s time for U.S. leaders to do the same and set a timeline to reopen our national borders—and we encourage them to start with vaccinated travelers from the U.K., E.U. and Canada. The reality is there’s no difference between a vaccinated American and those vaccinated in the U.K., the E.U. and Canada. “International travel is an export industry, and the balance of travel trade historically has favored the United States. Closed borders have not eliminated the spread of the delta variant, while continued border closures have further delayed the return of American jobs and a greater economic recovery. “To U.S. government leaders we say: Let’s establish a plan—now—as the British and Canadian and other governments have done, to begin reopening international travel. “To all, we say: Heed the calls from health authorities and get a vaccine. It’s the fastest path to normalcy for all.”

German airline Condor Flugdienst GmbH renews its long-haul fleet.Condor will purchase of seven Airbus A330neo aircraft.Condor will lease nine more Airbus A330neo aircraft. German airline Condor Flugdienst GmbH has chosen the Airbus A330neo to renew its long-haul fleet with plans to introduce 16 aircraft of this new and more efficient type. The airline has signed an agreement with Airbus for the purchase of seven Airbus A330neo, and intends to lease a further nine. German Condor Airline Modernizes Fleet With 16 New Airbus A330neo Jets Condor is the latest airline to order Airbus’ state-of-the-art A330neo widebody aircraft, bringing a step-change in performance and economics. The airline will operate the A330neo on its international long-haul network to the Americas, Africa, the Caribbean and Asia. “Condor excels in operating profitably many routes no other carrier is able to; we are proud to see a demanding airline such as Condor selecting our latest-technology A330neo as the aircraft of choice, building the future of their widebody fleet in the relentless pursuit of lowest operating costs and passenger comfort,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International. “By operating the A320 and A330neo aircraft side by side, the airline will benefit from all the commonality economics these two premium products offer, with the embedded flexibility to address new and existing markets with the right-sized, right-efficiency aircraft.” Christian Scherer added, “The A330neo has won a thorough competition yet again, as it has in the vast majority of competitive evaluations these last three years. The decision by Condor to modernize its long-haul fleet with A330neos will also set a new benchmark on the airline’s trajectory towards more sustainable flying. We thank and applaud Condor for confirming the competitive value of the A330neo.”

Qantas dismissed more than 2,000 ground handlers during the pandemic.Qantas outsourced jobs to save money for the company.Qantas recorded AU$18 billion ($13.2 billion) in revenue in 2019. In a landmark decision, Australian federal court has sided with the Transport Workers Union in the case brought by TWU against Qantas Airways Limited. The union took Australian airline giant to court after the outsourcing scandal saw over 2,000 Qantas employees laid off amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Union Sues Qantas Airways Over Massive Pandemic Layoffs and Wins Qantas dismissed more than 2,000 ground handlers during the pandemic, whose roles were outsourced to save money for the corporation, which in 2019 recorded AU$18 billion ($13.2 billion) in revenue. Justice Michael Lee said he was not convinced of the evidence put forth by Qantas – Australia’s most dominating airline – that the laying off of thousands of employees was not, at least in part, motivated by their union membership. The TWU hired Josh Bornstein as its head lawyer to argue the airline’s actions contravened the Fair Work Act. The case was centered around claims that Qantas’s bullish moves – led by CEO Alan Joyce – were made to squash the union’s power in wage negotiations. “The Federal Court has found for the first time that a major employer has sacked over 2,000 workers because it was seeking to deprive them of the ability to collectively bargain with the company for a new enterprise agreement,” said Bornstein.

Qatar Airways, Etihad and Emirates are globally competing for passengers changing planes in their transit hub Doha in Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE.In the battle to be the pre-eminent travel hub in the Middle East, the latest research, which has the world’s freshest and most comprehensive fight booking data, reveals that in the first half of 2021, Doha seized and consolidated a lead over Dubai. In the period 1st January to 30th June, the volume of air tickets issued for travel via Doha was 18% higher than it was through Dubai; and that relationship looks set to continue. Current bookings for the second half of the year through Doha are 17% higher than through Dubai. At the start of the year, air traffic through Doha was at 77% of Dubai; but it quickly reached 100% for the first time during the week commencing 27th January. The major factor driving the trend was the lifting, in January, of the blockade of flights to and from Qatar, which was imposed in June 2017 by Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, who accused Qatar of sponsoring terrorism – an accusation strongly denied by Qatar. As soon as it was imposed, the blockade had an immediate negative impact on flights to and from Doha. For example, Qatar Airways was forced to drop 18 destinations from its network. In addition, various flights through Doha suffered extended journey times, as planes had to make detours to avoid blockading counties’ air space. The destination and its major carrier, Qatar Airways, did not respond to the blockade by cutting back; instead, it opened 24 new routes to utilize what would otherwise have been idle aircraft. Since January 2021, five routes, Cairo, Dammam, Dubai, Jeddah, and Riyadh, to/from Doha have been reopened and traffic on other routes has grown. The reinstated routes which have made the most substantial relative contribution to visitor arrivals are Dammam to Doha, reaching 30% of pre-blockade arrivals in the first half of 2017, and Dubai to Doha, 21%. In addition, new connections with Seattle, San Francisco, and Abidjan, were established in December 2020, January 2021, and June 2021 respectively. The major existing routes which have shown the strongest growth compared to pre-pandemic levels (H1 2021 vs H1 2019), by a total number of passengers arriving in Qatar, are: Sao Paulo, up 137%, Kyiv, up by 53%, Dhaka, up 29% and Stockholm, up 6.7%. There have also been notable increases in seat capacity between Doha and Johannesburg, up 25%, Male, up 21%, and Lahore up 19%. A deeper analysis of seat capacity shows that in the coming quarter, Q3 2021, seat capacity between Doha and its neighbors in the Middle East will be only 5.6% less than pre-pandemic levels and the majority, 51.7%, of it is allocated to reinstated routes to/from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The last major factor, which has given Qatar an edge over Dubai, has been its reaction to the pandemic. During the height of the COVID-19 crisis, many routes in and out of Doha remained operational, with the result that Doha became a major hub for repatriation flights – most notably to Johannesburg and Montreal. A comparison of market share during the first half of 2021, against the first half of 2019, reveals that Doha has substantially improved its position against Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Currently, hub traffic is divided 33% Doha, 30% Dubai, 9% Abu Dhabi; previously, it was 21% Doha, 44% Dubai, 13% Abu Dhabi. Olivier Ponti, VP Insights, ForwardKeys commented: “Without the blockade, which encouraged the establishment of new routes as a strategy to replace lost traffic, perhaps we would not have seen Doha charging past Dubai. So, it seems that the seeds of Doha’s relative success were, ironically, sown by the adverse actions of its neighbors. However, one needs to bear in mind that flights through the Middle East during H1 2021 were still 81% below pre-pandemic levels. So, as the recovery gathers pace, the picture could change significantly.”

Passenger was starting to get aggressive and basically attacked the male flight attendant.Unruly passenger was yelling about his parents being rich and having $2 million.Frontier suspended the crew for duct taping the passenger to his seat as they landed in Miami. Frontier Airlines launched an investigation into a midair incident with unruly passenger being subdued by the crew. Rowdy Frontier Airlines Passenger Duct-Taped to Seat A video of an out-of-control passenger being duct-taped to his seat mid-flight after allegedly punching and groping flight attendants has gone viral on social media, and that has prompted the airline to investigate. The video made waves on Tuesday as it found its way onto social media. In the clip, a flight attendant can be seen taping a passenger to their seat, even placing the tape across their mouth, while others on the plane cheer.  Frontier Airlines released a statement about the incident, alleging that the man had punched one male flight attendant and groped two female flight attendants.  “During a flight from Philadelphia to Miami on July 31, a passenger made inappropriate physical contact with a flight attendant and subsequently physically assaulted another flight attendant,” the airline said in a statement. “As a result, the passenger needed to be restrained until the flight landed in Miami and law enforcement arrived.” The passenger, Maxwell Berry, was taken into custody by Miami police and is facing three counts of battery. Berry, 22, allegedly brushed a cup along a flight attendant’s backside and later emerged from the bathroom shirtless, requiring staff to find him a new shirt in his luggage. Berry later groped two female attendants’ chests and punched a male flight attendant in the face, police say. The footage was quickly and widely spread on social media, with few showing sympathy for the restrained passenger. In a separate video allegedly featuring Berry, he is yelling about his parents being rich and having $2 million. Despite the public support for the flight attendants, Frontier has suspended them from flying duties until a full investigation can be conducted.  “The flight attendants will be, as required in such circumstances, relieved of flying pending completion of investigation of the events,” the airline said.

Passengers stranded at Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Houston and San Juan airports.Spirit Airlines cancelled 261 flights today.Spirit Airlines delayed 120 flights today. Thousands of passengers were stranded today at the airports in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Houston, and San Juan in Puerto Rico, after Spirit Airlines cancelled or postpones nearly 300 flights. Thousands Stranded as Spirit Airlines Cancels Almost 300 Flights According to airline’s statement, “a series of weather and operational challenges” have caused travel disruptions. Passengers reported waiting hours in line for refunds and other customer service help at airports. Some stranded travelers camped out. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA released a statement, saying that “schedule month change over,” and IT outages, along with the weather, may have contributed to the operational collapse of Spirit Airlines. US carriers have struggled to maintain staffing levels after COVID-19 decimated profits. Florida -based Spirit Airlines had canceled 261 flights and 120 flights had been delayed Monday as of 2:30 p.m. ET. Apparently, Spirit Airlines was far from the only airline to struggle yesterday and today.  American Airlines also cancelled more than 500 flights and another 782 were delayed due to weekend storms and “operational challenges.”

Partnership will leverage Qatar Airways’ global network.Qatar Airways’ access to African destinations will increase.The agreement will integrate Qatar Airways and RwandAir loyalty programs’ benefits. Qatar Airways passengers will be able to explore even more of Africa following its new partnership with Rwanda’s flag carrier, RwandAir via their hubs at Doha and Kigali. Qatar Airways and RwandAir Announce Interline Agreement As a part of the strategic partnership, the extensive interline agreement will give customers access to the networks of both airlines, providing a seamless travel experience and enhanced customer service including in the frequent flyers programs. Customers can pick and choose from over 160 destinations in the combined networks of both airlines, which are perfectly connected via their home hubs of Doha and Kigali. This latest cooperation comes hot on the heels of the airlines’ recent loyalty partnerships announcement, giving RwandAir Dream Miles and Qatar Airways Privilege Club loyalty members, access to each other’s destinations with the opportunity to ‘earn and burn’ points across their reciprocal route networks. His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al-Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive said: “This partnership cements our commitment to giving travellers the widest choice of destinations, while providing a seamless, high quality travel experience, which is the goal of both Qatar Airways and RwandAir. “Africa is a hugely important market for us and this latest partnership will help support the recovery of international air travel and offer unrivalled connectivity to and from a number of new African destinations.” Yvonne Makolo, RwandAir CEO, said: “We’re really excited to be opening up more of the world to our customers through the new interline agreement with Qatar Airways.

Only vaccinated Kuwaiti citizens allowed to travel abroad.Travel ban goes into effect on August 1.Children under 16 are exempt from the new rule. Kuwait authorities announced that only vaccinated Kuwaiti citizens will be allowed to travel abroad, effectively grounding a large part of the country’s 4.2 million population. Kuwait bans all unvaccinated citizens from foreign travel The blanket ban on foreign travel for the unvaccinated citizens was announced by government officials of the Gulf nation today. Starting from August 1, only vaccinated individuals will be allowed to go on foreign trips. However, the children under 16, people with medical conditions preventing vaccination, and pregnant women will be exempt from the new rule and will be allowed to travel if they obtain proper certification from the nation’s health ministry. The move effectively grounds a vast swath of Kuwait’s population under a foreign travel ban. According to the latest available data, Kuwait has administered over 2.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, with around one million people so far – over 22% of the population – receiving two shots. While the announcement was not exactly clear in regards to this matter, it apparently implies that only fully vaccinated people will be allowed to travel after the measure takes effect next month. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Kuwait has registered over 394,000 COVID-19 cases, with almost 2,300 people having died the disease.

UK Travel & Tourism sector will get a huge boost from new regulation.The cruise industry will breathe a sigh of relief.It also throws a vital lifeline to airlines and businesses throughout the sector. Virginia Messina, WTTC Senior Vice President and Acting CEO, said: “The Travel & Tourism sector – and the UK economy – will get a huge boost following news that fully-vaccinated US and EU visitors will at last be able to travel quarantine-free to England. Fully-Vaccinated US and EU Visitors Will Be A Boon To UK Economy “The cruise industry will breathe a sigh of relief that the crucial relaunch of international cruise departures from England has been given the green light, giving hope to a sector which has struggled to stay afloat. “It also throws a vital lifeline to airlines and businesses throughout the sector, by helping to restore much-need transatlantic travel and essential links to the EU. “However, unless it’s reciprocal and the US responds with a similar move, we won’t see the full benefit.   “Research shows that before the pandemic US visitors to the UK contributed more than more than £4 billion to the economy in 2019, underlining the importance of transatlantic travel. “We urgently need internationally coordinated action to reopen borders to safe international travel for all visitors who are fully vaccinated or can show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. “Harmonization would restore international mobility, ensure reduced protocols for vaccinated travelers, emphasize the importance of global vaccine recognition, and enable global use of ‘digital health passes’.”

Global demand for June 2021 was up 9.9% compared to June 2019. North American carriers contributed 5.9 percentage points to the 9.9% growth rate in June.Underlying economic conditions and favorable supply chain dynamics remain highly supportive for air cargo. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global air cargo markets for June showing a 9.9% improvement on pre-COVID-19 performance (June 2019). This pushed first half-year air cargo growth to 8%, its strongest first half performance since 2017 (when the industry posted 10.2% year-on-year growth).  IATA: Strongest First Half-Year Air Cargo Growth Since 2017 As comparisons between 2021 and 2020 monthly results are distorted by the extraordinary impact of COVID-19, unless otherwise noted, all comparisons to follow are to June 2019 which followed a normal demand pattern. Global demand for June 2021, measured in cargo ton-kilometers (CTKs), was up 9.9% compared to June 2019.  Regional variations in performance are significant. North American carriers contributed 5.9 percentage points (ppts) to the 9.9% growth rate in June. Middle East carriers contributed 2.1 ppts, European airlines 1.6 ppts, African airlines 0.5 ppts and Asia-Pacific carriers 0.3 ppts. Latin American carriers did not support the growth, shaving 0.5 ppts off the total. Overall capacity, measured in available cargo ton-kilometers (ACTKs), remained constrained at 10.8% below pre-COVID-19 levels (June 2019) due to the ongoing grounding of passenger aircraft. Belly capacity was down 38.9% on June 2019 levels, partially offset by a 29.7% increase in dedicated freighter capacity.  Underlying economic conditions and favorable supply chain dynamics remain highly supportive for air cargo: The US inventory to sales ratio is at a record low. This means that businesses have to quickly refill their stocks, and typically use air cargo to do so.The Purchasing Managers Indices (PMIs) – leading indicators of air cargo demand – show that business confidence, manufacturing output and new export orders are growing at a rapid pace in most economies. Concerns of a significant consumer shift from goods to services have not materialized. The cost-competitiveness and reliability of air cargo relative to that of container shipping has improved.  The average price of air cargo relative to shipping has reduced considerably. And scheduling reliability of ocean carriers has dropped, in May it was around 40% compared to 70-80% prior to the crisis.  “Air cargo is doing brisk business as the global economy continues its recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. With first-half demand 8% above pre-crisis levels, air cargo is a revenue lifeline for many airlines as they struggle with border closures that continue to devastate the international passenger business. Importantly, the strong first-half performance looks set to continue,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.   

European Transport Workers’ Federation appeals to the European Commission.Two illegal decrees issued by the Orban government.ETF strongly condemns interference from the Hungarian Government into the provision of air navigation services. The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) sent a letter to the European Commission (EC) President, Ursula von der Leyen, to the EU Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit and to the EU Commissioner for Transport, Adina VALEAN, asking for immediate action from the EC to stop what seems to be another case of breaching the rule of law by the Hungarian Government and also, a clear situation of union busting within this EU Member State. Hungarian Government Attacks on Air Traffic Workers Condemned Addressing the EC leaders, the ETF expresses its deep concerns regarding the difficult situation of the air traffic workers at Hungarian Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) – HungaroControl – which are now forbidden to organize any strike, on the basis of two illegal decrees issued by the Orban government. This is clear intimidation against the air traffic controllers from Hungary, ETF mentions in the letter addressed to the EU Commissioners. The decree not only dismisses the decision 2.Mpkf.35.080/2021/5 of the Hungarian Appeal Court but also violates Article 28 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. ETF strongly condemns such interference from the Hungarian Government into the provision of air navigation services and the creation of a hostile work environment that increases stress levels amongst air traffic workers and also poses a serious safety risk to passengers, workers and citizens.

New Brunswick will welcome American travelers who have received the full series of a COVID-19 vaccine that is accepted by the Government of Canada. Starting August 9, fully vaccinated U.S. travelers are permitted to enter Newfoundland & Labrador.Beginning August 9, American visitors who qualify as fully vaccinated travelers are required to apply for entry to Nova Scotia. Four provinces of Atlantic Canada will open to fully vaccinated American travelers beginning August 9, 2021.  Atlantic Canada Opens to Vaccinated US Travelers Located just north of the U.S. border of Maine, Atlantic Canada is a crowd-free, coastal region made up of the four Canadian provinces New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland & Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. The mid-August border opening allows U.S. travelers to enjoy the late summer season in Atlantic Canada, which offers temperate weather, warm coastal waters, and outdoor adventure. The fall boasts colorful foliage and several world-class food and cultural festivals. Easily accessible from the Northeast, the region offers breathtaking coastlines, fresh seafood, wide-open outdoors spaces, land and water experiences, and so much more.    All travelers must use ArriveCAN (app or web portal) to submit their travel information. In addition to adhering to Canada’s federal travel guidelines, each province within Canada has their own set of travel restrictions and requirements to protect residents from COVID-19. As protocols vary by each province, here is what travelers need to know about entry to each province to plan their next Atlantic Canada adventure.    New Brunswick Once the Canadian federal border opens on August 9, New Brunswick will welcome American travelers who have received the full series of a COVID-19 vaccine that is accepted by the Government of Canada.  Newfoundland & Labrador Starting August 9, fully vaccinated U.S. travelers are permitted to enter Newfoundland & Labrador and are required to submit a travel form within 72 hours of their expected travel date and follow public health guidelines during their stay. Fully vaccinated travelers are not required to self-isolate or be tested for COVID-19 upon their arrival to the province.

France requires 24-hour negative coronavirus test for unvaccinated travelers from UK & 5 EU countries.For unvaccinated UK visitors, the deadline for a negative COVID-19 test was reduced from 48 hours before departure to 24 hours.Deadline for unvaccinated visitors from Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus was reduced from 72 hours to 24. French authorities announced that unvaccinated visitors from the UK, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus will have to submit a negative PCR or antigen test for COVID-19 that was taken less than 24 hours prior to their departure before they are allowed to enter France. For unvaccinated UK visitors, the deadline for a negative COVID-19 test was reduced from 48 hours before departure to 24 hours. The same deadline for unvaccinated visitors from Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece and Cyprus was reduced from 72 hours to 24. The change in entry requirements is set to take effect on Monday, July 19. At the same time, French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced that restrictions for vaccinated travelers are being lifted on Saturday.  “Vaccines are effective against the virus, especially the Delta variant,” the Prime Minister said, adding that travelers from countries on France’s so-called ‘red list’ still have to self-isolate for seven days even if they have been vaccinated. The change in France’s entry policy comes a day after the UK excluded France from its plan to allow fully vaccinated Brits avoid quarantine upon returning from ‘amber-list’ countries. People arriving from France still have to self-isolate for 10 days and get tested twice due to the prevalence of the Beta variant, formerly known as the South African variant, officials said. “We have always been clear that we will not hesitate to take rapid action at our borders to stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the gains made by our successful vaccination program,” UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. French President Emmanuel Macron said this week that all health workers must be immunized by September 15, while the country’s scientists have called for mandatory vaccination of everyone. According to the government, overall, 55% of the French population has been fully vaccinated.