Until at least 9 January, all passengers traveling on international flights, regardless of having a vaccination certificate, are required to submit a negative diagnostic test for Covid-19 at the time of boarding, except for travellers with a Covid-19 recovery certificate.
This measure intends to respond to the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Portugal and coincides with the restrictions and the return to a state of calamity, which will continue until 20 March, 2022.
In a press conference held at Humberto Delgado Airport, in Lisbon, PSP officer Valente Pinho made a review of the situation regarding the control of passengers from countries that make up the European Union and the Schengen area, adding that they had detected 20 passengers who had not complied with the rules in place.
“We have 20 people who took the test. Ten of them have already tested negative and the other 10 are waiting. These people will be fined, as well as the airlines that carried out their transportation”, said the PSP official.
Airlines that transport passengers without a negative Covid-19 test incur a fine of between €20,000 and €40,000 per passenger and travellers are also subject to administrative offenses for not presenting a test on arrival, which implies a fine of between €300 and €800.
Passengers on domestic flights, children under 12 and crews are exempt from mandatory tests, which can be PCR or rapid.
These measures will be monitored at the airports of Lisbon, Faro and Porto by PSP and SEF, with ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal having contracted a private security company to control the test requirements.
If officials want to get serious about minimizing Covid's spread, we need negative tests for EVERYONE who boards a plane within a few days of flying. Policies must be based on science, not politics. To allow Covid Recovery Certificates instead of negative tests is
absurd. The negative test requirement prevents most COVID carriers from transmitting it on planes. Neither vaccination, nor COVID recovery prevents
100% from being Covid carriers, despite their antibodies. That is why vaccinated people require negative Covid tests shortly before boarding planes.
Airplane crews, especially flight attendants in close contact with passengers, should all have COVID tests each time they board a plane to prevent viral spread into the plane's closed air circulation.
Even the best masks are not 100% effective. People use all kinds of masks. Filtering capabilities vary. Masks are off to eat or drink. Masks are not always worn correctly to maximize protection. All these factors allow COVID transmission, despite masks.
Children up to age 12 are now 100% unvaccinated. A certain percent of them carry COVID. It is absurd to allow any potential carriers on planes when negative tests screen most out.
COVID containment policies must include affordable COVID tests at and near airports to facilitate testing close to departure. ALL passengers of all ages and ALL CREW members must be tested pre-flight for domestic and international flights to screen out COVID carriers. While tests are not 100% effective, they do screen out the vast majority of carriers. So, why leave out tests for carriers in certain groups like crews and children? Why allow non-vaccinated carriers to avoid tests just because they had COVID in recent months? Get serious.
By Angela Foehl from Other on 03 Dec 2021, 05:25
let’s hope the airlines pay! I suspect only the individuals will have to stump up.
By Ian from Lisbon on 03 Dec 2021, 08:13
If you have had Covid then you have natural immunity regardless of vax or not- you will.have a recovery certificate!
By Mr Anthony J Foxwell from UK on 03 Dec 2021, 09:16