Complex, Varied Entry Norms May Stall Air Travel Recovery

Countries have begun reopening borders, but complex and varied entry norms to manage Covid risks could stall air travel recovery, said International Air Transport Association (IATA), an airlines’ trade body, which studied latest restrictions put up by 50 countries.

- Manju V

Mumbai: While complete harmonization of these varied entry norms is unlikely, IATA said countries could come together to commonly adopt at least some “simple best practices” easy for passengers to comprehend.

The 50 countries surveyed account for 92% of global air traffic, said IATA. Of the 46 countries that have pre-departure testing norms, 24 accept only PCR testing, 16 recognize antigen tests, of which three require PCR in certain circumstances. Then, 18 countries exempt vaccinated travellers from testing, and 20 countries provide exemptions from testing requirements for recovered Covid-19 travellers, but under differing conditions on how to prove prior infection, the survey found.