The European Union is dropping its mask mandate for airplanes, airports starting next week

The European Union will no longer require masks to be worn at airports and on planes starting next week amid the easing of coronavirus restrictions across the bloc, authorities said Wednesday.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said it hoped the joint decision, made with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, would mark “a big step forward in the normalization of air travel” for passengers and crews.

The new guideline “takes account of the latest developments in the pandemic, in particular the levels of vaccination and naturally acquired immunity, and the accompanying lifting of restrictions in a growing number of European countries,” the two agencies said in a joint statement.

“Passengers should however behave responsibly and respect the choices of others around them,” EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky said. “And a passenger who is coughing and sneezing should strongly consider wearing a face mask, for the reassurance of those seated nearby.”

While the new recommendations take effect on May 16, rules for masks may still vary by airline beyond that date if they fly to or from destinations where the rules are different.

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control director Andrea Ammon said washing hands and social distancing should still be practiced, but airport operators are advised not to impose distancing requirements if these are likely to lead to a bottleneck.

The agencies also recommended that airlines keep systems for collecting passenger locator information on standby in case they are needed in future, for example if a new dangerous variant emerges.

The requirement to wear masks on planes has been in place for about two years. It has occasionally led to disputes between passengers and airlines. German carrier Lufthansa last week denied a large group of Jewish travelers board a plane because some had refused to wear masks. The airline has since apologized for the incident.

The decline in reported COVID-19 cases over the past weeks has prompted countries across Europe to roll back pandemic-related restrictions.

The German government said Wednesday that it was disbanding a crisis task force appointed to lead the official response.

The French government announced separately Wednesday that people will no longer have to wear face masks in any forms of public transport starting from Monday.

Health Minister Olivier Veran, speaking after a Cabinet meeting, said that the decision is part of policies to lift most restrictions as the pandemic is slowing down in the country.

French authorities reported this week about 39,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 each day on average, down by 30% compared to last week. The numbers of patients in hospitals have also been steadily decreasing in recent weeks.

Wearing face masks will no longer be needed in metros, bus, trains and domestic flights. It is still be requested in hospitals and nursing homes, Veran said.

France lifted most coronavirus restrictions in March.

Source: USA Today

U.S. Travelers Help Drive Middle East Tourism Recovery

The continued focus on tourism in the Middle East has helped the region navigate its way through the unchartered landscape of Covid. Qatar is leading the way on recovery.

With flyers feeling more confident about long-haul travel, Americans are kick-starting travel revival in the world and the Middle East is no exception, noted market intelligence firm ForwardKeys.

A trend that had been highlighted in Skift’s U.S. Travel Tracker March 2022 report.

Even as UK continues to be the top source market for the Middle East contributing to almost 13 percent of arrivals, U.S. is now inching closer to lead this recovery with shares at a little above 11 percent.

U.S. arrivals register a 15 percent increase over pre-pandemic levels, according to data from ForwardKeys.

Based on the tickets issued for international arrivals to the Middle East in the second quarter of this year, Qatar is leading tourism recovery in the Middle East. The country is the only destination in the region to register a 7 percent increase over pre-pandemic levels.

Specifically for Qatar, arrivals from the U.S. have gone up by 105 percent while UK arrivals registered a 76 percent increase, compared to 2019.

Egypt, which ranked second in the recovery charts, registered a 27 percent decrease in on-the-book international arrivals compared to 2019, while United Arab Emirates (UAE), a close third, marked a 29 percent decrease.           

However, both Egypt and UAE have performed better against the Middle East and Africa’s total average, which is down by 33 percent compared to 2019, noted ForwardKeys.

This year’s average for the region is a marked improvement against last year, which was down 64 percent.

The Middle East is above the global travel recovery average, which is 45 percent below 2019.

Aviation Looks Up

The listing of airports in the Middle East throws another surprise as Dubai Airport trails behind Abu Dhabi to occupy fourth position.

Hurghada, the second busiest airport in Egypt after Cairo and a prominent leisure destination, was ranked as the most resilient airport showing a 17 percent increase in pre-pandemic levels.

Registering a 7 percent increase over 2019 arrivals, Doha airport maintained second position. This increase was aided by Doha maintaining most air services during the pandemic and Qatar Airways adding more routes from their Doha hub, said Shingai George, Africa market expert at ForwardKeys.

However, George warned that all of this could change in the blink of an eye if travel restrictions are eased as last-minute bookings continue to remain the norm. 

As comfort trumps cost, travellers today do not mind spending more to travel comfortably, spurring the demand for premium cabin classes, which Skift had identified as a megatrend for 2022.

As a result, premium cabin shares onboard flights in the region have increased by 4.3 percent since 2019. And while passengers travelling by premium cabin class are down by just 14 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels, economy class tickets are 37 percent below 2019 levels.

Source: Skift

Tourist traps among biggest travel nightmares for consumers

Travel booking platform GetYourGuide.com, has announced the results of a new survey aimed at uncovering what ‘unforgettable’ experiences mean to U.S. travelers in today’s world, which revealed consumers are in search of authentic experiences, avoiding tourist traps when planning itineraries and opting for domestic destinations in 2022. These trends are expected to play out widely as travel bookings are increasing: GetYourGuide’s U.S. booking volumes have more than doubled compared to pre-pandemic numbers in 2019.

“It’s great to see a renewed desire to discover new and different experiences through travel,” said Caroline Berger, Head of Brand, U.S. at GetYourGuide. “We’ve observed a sharp increase in our U.S. booking volumes as travelers are making up for time lost over the last few years—many of whom are more conscious than ever of avoiding the stereotypical tourist traps. As travelers become more discerning, we will be providing unforgettable experiences for them.”

The report’s results found common themes among those planning to travel and book experiences in 2022. Notable highlights include:

Travelers are going out of their way to avoid tourist traps
As many seasoned travelers know, popular destinations can often include ‘tourist traps,’ identified by survey respondents as attractions lacking in authenticity – inaccurately claiming to be unique and exclusive – with inflated prices, long lines, and/or large crowds. These ‘traps’ may act as a barrier for travelers when creating their travel itineraries, leading some to change plans or avoid a destination altogether.

Two out of three (67%) travelers feel they have experienced tourist traps that led to inauthentic experiences

More than two-thirds of travelers (68%) say they’ve decided against visiting an attraction or excursion because they were concerned it was a tourist trap, while four out of ten travelers (41%) say they’ve avoided a destination altogether due to concerns of tourist traps

“Doing your research and booking with a trusted provider is essential for those looking to escape the tourist traps,” said Berger. “By visiting GetYourGuide.com or the GetYourGuide app, travelers not only have access to transparent pricing, flexible booking policies and real customer reviews – which have become table stakes to today’s traveler – they also get a fully curated experience, one that has been vetted by us.”

Travelers are craving to explore new and unforgettable experiences in their own backyard
On average, U.S. travelers take around 3 ½ leisure trips per year, and this year, many (55%) Americans are planning to spend their time off within the U.S., opting for beach getaways (44%) and road trips (36%). Among those with 2022 travel plans:

Two-thirds of travelers say that experiencing new and different things (66%), as well as feeling recharged and relaxed (66%) are the main goals of their vacations

Most travelers plan to go sightseeing (42%) and partake in family-friendly activities (39%)

Travelers ranked favorable prices (54%), having a wide range of activities and experiences (34%) and avoiding big crowds (34%) as top priorities when booking travel experiences

The top priorities for travelers are having a sense of freedom (38%) and taking part in authentic experiences (37%)

Travelers are valuing the ‘who’ in addition to the ‘where’
Whether it is enjoying a new city’s culinary scene, hiking the Grand Canyon or swimming with sharks, most travelers agree that it’s the people they travel with that contribute to making an experience ‘unforgettable.’ Among the open-text comments requested in the survey, respondents echoed the importance of family, friends and loved ones when creating lasting memories.

Close to two-thirds (58%) of travelers feel that creating beautiful memories with loved ones contribute to making a travel experience unforgettable, while four out of ten of travelers (38%) say that learning about the history of different sights and places also makes a trip unforgettable

‘Beautiful’ and ‘fun’ were the most mentioned words when asked to describe unforgettable experiences

Source: Breaking Travel News

Low vaccination rates take toll on African airlines

Demand for air travel to, from and within Africa is being challenged by low vaccination rates across the continent as well as impacts from rising inflation, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said.

Africa accounts for 1.9% of the total global passenger air travel market.

The global aviation body’s latest data shows that the passenger load factor for African airlines on international flights increased by 14.1 percentage points to 64.5% in March 2022 compared to March 2021. Available seat capacity on international flights was up 49.9% in March 2022 compared to March 2021. 

The combined domestic and international passenger load factor rose 11 percentage points to 65.7% in March 2022 compared to March 2021.

During March 2022, African airlines saw cargo volumes increase by 3.1% in March 2022 compared to March 2021. Their cargo carrying capacity was 8.7% above March 2021 levels.

“Air cargo markets mirror global economic developments. In March, the trading environment took a turn for the worse. The combination of war in Ukraine and the spread of the Omicron variant in Asia have led to rising energy costs, exacerbated supply chain disruptions, and fed inflationary pressure. As a result, compared to a year ago, there are fewer goods being shipped—including by air,” explained IATA Director General Willie Walsh in a statement.

Source: Fin24

IATA: March Air Demand Rebounds at Slightly Slower Pace

Despite a slowdown in the pace of year-over-year total increases, passenger air traffic in March was the closest to 2019 levels since the pandemic began, according to the International Air Transportation Association. 

March passenger air volume was 58.7 percent recovered compared with March 2019 levels, versus February’s 54.5 percent. Revenue passenger kilometers in March were up 76 percent year over year, compared with an increase of nearly 116 percent in February.

Effects on air travel from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine were “limited.” However, the Covid-19 omicron variant spread in China has affected domestic air travel, though not international traffic for Asia-Pacific carriers, according to IATA.

“With barriers to travel coming down in most places, we are seeing the long-expected surge in pent-up demand finally being realized,” IATA director general Willie Walsh said in a statement. “Unfortunately, we are also seeing long delays at many airports with insufficient resources to handle the growing numbers.”

Total global capacity was up 46 percent year over year, representing a slowdown from the increase of 68.4 percent in February 2022. Capacity was down 35.5 percent compared with March 2019. Europe led both traffic and capacity changes, at 246.9 percent and 162.8 percent, respectively. Asia-Pacific continued to report year-over-year declines for both categories, at 17.9 percent and 14.9 percent, respectively. Total load factor was 74.7 percent.

March domestic air traffic continued its recovery, increasing 11.7 percent year over year, representing a 23.2 percent decline from March 2019 levels. Domestic capacity was up 1.5 percent year over year and was down 18.4 percent from 2019 levels. Brazil showed the strongest year-over-year traffic increase at 99.1 percent. China’s domestic traffic declined 59.1 percent, due to “drastic lockdowns” and travel restrictions following the spread of omicron in the country.

Still, Asia-Pacific airlines saw international traffic increase 197.1 percent year over year in March, up from the 146.5 percent increase in February, following relaxed restrictions in South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand. Every region except Africa reported triple-digit percentage increases in international traffic, with Europe leading the regions at a 425.4 percent gain as well as a 224.5 percent increase in capacity. 

“The ongoing recovery in air travel is excellent news for the global economy, for friends and families whose forced separations are being ended, and for the millions of people who depend on air transport for their livelihoods,” Walsh said. 

Source: BTN

UAE updates entry procedures for international travellers – all you need to know

Dubai – Are you planning to travel to the UAE anytime soon? If so, you may be wondering whether you need to take a PCR test and what any other COVID-19 requirements may be for entering the country.

With the UAE’s authorities updating entry procedures in the past few weeks, here is a round-up of all the requirements you need to be aware of:

Emirati, GCC citizens can enter using ID cards

On April 29, National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) announced that Emirati and GCC citizens are now allowed to enter the UAE using ID cards, without the need to show their passports.

Fully vaccinated passengers do not need a PCR test

From February 26, 2022, fully vaccinated passengers need to present a valid vaccination certificate(s) reflecting that the passenger is fully vaccinated with a vaccine approved by the WHO or the UAE and includes a QR code.

Unvaccinated passengers coming into the UAE

If you are a visitor or resident travelling to the UAE and are not fully vaccinated, you are required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate issued within 48 hours after the sample was collected and issued by an approved health service provider with a QR code.

According to the website of Emirates airlines, test certificates sent via SMS are not accepted and the PCR test result must have a readable QR code. It is important to note that for transit passengers, the rules and conditions for entry at the final destination will apply.

Unvaccinated passengers under the age of 16

Unvaccinated passengers arriving in the UAE who are under the age of 16 are exempt from presenting a negative PCR test result upon arrival.

However, NCEMA stressed on the need for these passengers to adhere to all preventive and precautionary measures in place in the country.

COVID-19 PCR test and vaccination exemptions

• Children below 12 years old.
• Passengers with moderate to severe disabilities:
– Moderate or severe disability includes neurological disorders and intellectual or developmental disabilities. For example: Acute spinal cord injury, Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Ataxia, Autism spectrum, Bell’s palsy, Brain tumours, Cerebral aneurysm, Cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, Epilepsy and seizures.
– All other passengers, including those who are visually impaired, hearing impaired or physically challenged must hold a negative COVID 19 RT PCR test certificate as per the requirements.

Source: Gulf News

The wealthy return planes as business activity revives

Wealthy Kenyans and private aviation firms have resumed flying and buying planes after a slowdown in 2020 following the Covid-19 pandemic that reduced the millionaires’ net worth and hit demand for travel.

Official data show the number of registered planes increased by 47, excluding those owned by the National Police Service and the Kenya Defence Forces, to 782 last year.

This is a rebound from the previous year when the rich and aviation firms sold and grounded 72 planes after coronavirus triggered a slump in air travel and reduced the need for purchase of commercial flights.

The virus, which disrupted businesses and hammered most asset classes, reduced the net worth of wealthy Kenyans and saw the rich reduce their appetite for helicopters and small jets.

Kenya’s economy has rebounded following the easing of measures aimed at curbing Covid-19’s spread while travel has also resumed.

“ The resumption of international flights on August 1, 2021, within the Covid-19 operating period spurred revival of passenger operations within the aviation industry and operators renewed their certificates of airworthiness in order to continue with operations,” said KCAA on Thursday.

“Most aircrafts had been parked during the Covid period 2019/2020.”

Kenya’s business magnates, politicians and new millionaires are fast taking to the skies as the preferred mode of transport – expanding the market for leasing and private ownership of planes.

Apart from urban-based business leaders, politicians and wealthy deal-makers, Kenyan skies are also dominated by large-scale farmers and ranchers based in Narok, Laikipia and Nanyuki.

The farmers mostly use their small aircraft to spray their crops.

Aero Club of East Africa – a lobby group of private aircraft owners – attributed the recent growth in the number of registered planes to Nairobi’s rising status as the region’s business hub and a growing number of wealthy individuals with the means to own and maintain an aircraft.

Kenya has been ranked fourth in terms of the number of dollar millionaires, according to a report by research firm New World Wealth and Henley & Partners which helps high-net-worth individuals to acquire residence or citizenship through investment.

The Africa Wealth Report 2022 indicates that Kenya has 8,500 individuals with a net worth of over $1 million (Sh115.7 million).

The population of Kenya’s dollar millionaires in the study is significantly higher than estimates in other reports, indicating the difficulty of tracking the wealthy in Africa.

The latest Knight Frank Wealth Report put the number of Kenya dollar millionaires at 3,323.

When the devolved system of government was introduced in 2013, it raised hopes of addressing the economic imbalance, but analysts say there is a need to offer incentives to attract private investors to counties.

Besides convenience, wealthy individuals have also acquired aircraft to satisfy their ambitions for reliable and personalised travel.

Source: Business Daily

Travellers can now fly seamless from Minnesota to Nairobi

Kenyans living in Minnesota can now fly with ease to Nairobi after the national carrier signed a code-sharing agreement with the US-based JetBlue airline to have passengers traveling to JKIA connect through New York.

Minnesota is one of the cities in the US with the largest number of Kenyans, and the new agreement will give them a seamless connection to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

The move comes as a boost to the carrier just ahead of the summer season when a lot of tourists travel to Kenya for holidays.

KQ   , which launched direct flights to New York in 2018, departs JFK at 1.45 pm on the days that it has flights on the route, making connections from Minnesota hard for passengers wanting to connect to Nairobi.

The agreement will see Kenya Airways passengers in Minnesota book their flights to Kenya directly and fly out of Minnesota to get on the nonstop JFK to Nairobi flight and will collect their luggage at JKIA.

“That’s great for us and I’m happy to see our partnership with Jetblue,” KQ chairman Michael Joseph told the Business Daily.

“The partnership will also allow JetBlue passengers to book a through ticket to Nairobi and enjoy seamless connections to the rest of KQ’s destinations.” said the airline.

JetBlue Airways is a low-cost US carrier headquartered in Long Island, New York, and based out of John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Ranked by passenger traffic, JetBlue is among the leading low-cost carriers worldwide as well as the sixth-largest domestic airline in the US, accounting for 5.3 percent of the domestic market in 2021.

The US route is one of the crucial destinations for the national carrier as it plays a major role in connecting travellers who transit through the JKIA.

Kenya Airways cut New York flights to three a week from five last month on the back of low demand following an end to a peak season in December last year.

The airline said the number of passengers on the route had dropped with a reduction in cabin factor, forcing them to remove two flights to JF Kennedy, which had been introduced in November last year.

The carrier had projected its daily direct flights to the US would boost annual revenues by more than 10 percent in 2019 and 2020.

The long-haul route aimed to encourage more business and tourist travel, with the US being one of Kenya’s biggest source of visitors.

The direct flight from New York cut the journey to 15 hours on the long-haul route tapped as part of an effort to revive the airline’s fortunes. The carrier had forecast its daily direct flights to the US would boost annual revenues by more than 10 percent in 2019 and 2020.

Source: Daily Nation

Dubai airport Eid rush: nearly two million travellers expected over next 11 days

Dubai is gearing up for a busy travel period as Ramadan ends and the Eid Al Fitr holiday begins.

More than 1.9 million passengers are expected to fly to or from Dubai International Airport between April 28 and May 9.

The busiest day for travel will be May 7, when more than 200,000 people will transit the airport. Daily traffic will exceed 177,000 over the entire holiday period, said Dubai Airports.

Emirates airline is also getting set for an influx with more than 700,000 people booked to fly via Terminal 3 of Dubai International over the Eid holidays.

The Dubai airline says its busiest period will be the weekend before Eid.

Popular destinations for UAE travellers flying with Emirates include London, Istanbul, Manila, Cairo, Paris, Casablanca, New York and Los Angeles. An additional 23 flights to seven cities across the GCC and Middle East have also been added to the airline’s network for the holidays.

The airline expects Terminal 3 to be busy with travellers until May 9 and reminded all passengers to get to the airport at least three hours ahead of their flight departure time to allow for check-in, health document checks and immigration formalities.

Any passengers trying to check in less than 60 minutes before their departure will not be accepted for travel, said Emirates.

And low-cost airline flydubai is also expecting the next few weeks to be busy. The airline plans to operate more than 2,200 flights between April 30 and May 8 to accommodate a surge in demand.

The budget airline has increased capacity on some of its most popular routes for the break, including to Baku, Tbilisi, the Maldives and Sarajevo, and expects capacity to be between 80 and 100 per cent on flights to Almaty, Budapest, Colombo, Kathmandu, Naples and Yerevan.

How to beat the Eid rush at Dubai International Airport

Dubai Airports and Emirates have issued tips for travellers flying over Eid to help people beat the rush.

Passengers should check the latest travel regulations for their destination with their airline, said airport authorities. These can change regularly so its important to find out before leaving for the airport.

Travellers should also plan for extra time to get to the airport over the holiday, with the roads around Dubai International expected to get congested during peak times.

Emirates offers early check-in options, with most travellers able to drop bags off for flights as early as 24 hours before take-off time. Using this option could mean having one less thing to worry about on departure day. US passengers flying Emirates can check in 12 hours before departure.

To cut down on crowds, passengers flying from Terminal 1 at Dubai International should arrive at the airport no earlier than three hours before departure time.

Passengers should also make use of online check-in services whenever airlines offer the facility to help cut-down on queue times.

Once at the airport, registered travellers over the age of 12 can use the Smart Gates to help speed up passport control procedures.

Source: The National News

Dubai ranked third-best city in the world for digital nomads

Dubai has been ranked the third-best city in the world for digital nomads to live in, according to new research by real estate consultancy Savills.

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, topped the table and Miami was ranked second in the Savills Executive Nomad Index, which lists the top 15 cities for long-term remote workers, based on internet speed, quality of life, climate, air connectivity and prime rents, Savills said in a statement on Wednesday.

Portugal’s popular Algarve region, in the south of the country, was ranked fourth, followed by Barbados in the Caribbean.

Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Saint Lucia, Malta and Antigua & Barbuda round out the top 10. No cities in Asia featured in the index.

“Remote working enabled business owners from abroad to make Dubai their main hub,” said Helen Tatham, head of residential community sales and leasing at Savills Dubai.

“UK nationals have long favoured Dubai for holiday and work, but the market also benefited from new demand from French, German, Swedish and Swiss buyers.”

The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the remote-working trend, with the adoption of new technologies encouraging more workers to move away from the cities or countries where their employers are based.

In response, some countries, including the UAE, enacted legislation designed to attract foreign-employed workers.

The UAE unveiled a one-year residency permit for remote workers in March last year to attract more talent to the region and boost business opportunities. The visa permits foreign remote professionals to live in the Emirates while continuing to serve employers in their home countries.

Dubai topped the Savills index for air connectivity, with the emirate’s airlines reaching more than 100 countries, Savills said.

All cities that featured in the Savills index either have a digital nomad visa programme, or equivalent, or, in the case of US and European countries, are already part of a large economic bloc that allows free movement of people for living or work, the consultancy said.

They offer favourable climates year-round, a high quality of life and have established prime residential markets, Savills said.

“The modern executive nomad – a distant cousin of the freelance creative working from a cafe in Bali or Costa Rica – owns a villa in the Algarve or a condo in Miami, attends Zoom calls from an airy home office and hops on a flight back to London, New York or Geneva for the quarterly board meeting,” said Paul Tostevin, head of Savills World Research.

“Provided travel connections are good and high-speed internet is reliable, individuals and families are motivated to relocate and are placing a greater emphasis on health, wellness and overall lifestyle.”

Lisbon topped the index on the back of its high quality of life, low pollution, favourable climate and good air connectivity.

“Tech executives and entrepreneurs are drawn by Lisbon’s burgeoning status as a tech hub,” said Ricardo Garcia, head of residential at Savills Portugal.

“Real estate costs are low and there is a strong local talent pool. Companies are moving their headquarters to Portugal.”

Miami has grown in appeal as a remote working destination in the US owing to its warm climate and beaches, Savills said.

The city also offers good air connectivity and digital infrastructure, as well as a strong prime rental market and a comparatively good quality of life,.

Barbados, which has the fastest internet in the Caribbean, is popular with digital nomads thanks to its climate and good air connectivity.

Barcelona, which placed sixth, also has fast internet and a strong global connectivity through its air and rail systems, Savills said.

“As the workplace has evolved to a new, more flexible model, executive nomads are turning what were previously holiday home markets into year-round ones,” Mr Tostevin said.

“Certain locations in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, as well as cities such as Lisbon, Miami and Dubai, offer them connectivity, favourable climates and a high quality of life.”

Source: The National News