The first flight from abroad after three months of lockdown landed with 160 on board at Macedonia airport in Thessaloniki from Munich, Germany, at 13:30 on Monday. The flight of the Aegean Airlines was welcomed with a water arch, symbolically, as this is usually the case during the reception of a “virgin” flight.
Head of Civil protections Nikos Hardalias and other dignitaries of the city waited for the first tourists in northern Greece, now that the country opened its gates to foreign travelers.
Citing Hardalias, state-run news agency amna, wrote that all passengers arriving by June 30 will undergo a test for the coronavirus and then go to their destination.
As for the designated “Covid-19 Hotel” where travelers tested positive should be placed in 14-day quarantine, Hardalias said that it has not been designated yet in Thessaloniki. HE noted that this is the responsibility of the Tourism Ministry.
Smiling under their face masks, relatives and friends welcome the passengers with many Greeks to have been onboard.
“Everything happened very quickly, they took a saliva sample for examination and let us go to our destination,” one passenger told amna, and another added that they would be notified only if the test would be positive.
Also tourists who arrived at Athens international airport Eleftherios Venizelos underwent these rapid tests.
The first flight arrived from Cyprus on Monday morning others from Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Italy followed as result of Greece having lifted the ban.
Among those who arrived in Athens were tourists, business people and Greeks who spend the period of the pandemic abroad.
According to news website news247, πassengers arriving from countries such as Italy, France or the Netherlands can travel freely in the country, while in a 7-day quarantine will remain for those arriving by transit flights from countries such as the UK.
A total of 28 flights arrived from abroad at the airport of Athens and two in Thessaloniki.
and yet at the same time they just changed their story again on ship connections to italy… was supposed to re-open yesterday but now they say from 1 july. do these people even know what they’re doing? there’s more requirement of accountability and qualification for a barber than for a cabinet minister?
on June 12 they announced ferry connection to Italy on July 1
Are you sure about the flights arriving from The Netherlands? Because the country is not on the free-travel list of Greece
it is. announced on June 12.
Are they letting US citizens in July 1? First they had said June 15th, then they changed it. When is the actual date? I have a flight on July 17th that is not canceled yet but I have a feeling the airline is holding back info from me and they will pull it last minute.
I think nobody knows on June 18.