News
Philippines Airlines and supporting groups lobby for reduced quarantine for international travellers
September 20th 2021
Philippine Airlines (PAL) and other industry groups lobbying to shorten the quarantine period for overseas arrivals have received the support of the country’s Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship. Read More »
Presidential advisor, Jose Maria “Joey” Concepcion III, has urged the government to support a shorter period for fully vaccinated travellers, particularly from North America, to entice them to fly home and reconnect with loved ones over Christmas. Concepcion was quoted by The Manilla Times as warning that the nation’s aviation industry was on the brink of collapse and a failure to help it now could see the Philippines “face a huge problem on how to travel in the future”.
PAL, along with AirAsia and Cebu Pacific, want health authorities to designate North American countries as green zone destinations with a five-day quarantine period for fully vaccinated passengers.
Airline officials have proposed that incoming passengers be tested 72 hours prior to departure, quarantined upon arrival and be required to take polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on the third day.
Passengers with a negative result would be allowed to leave the quarantine facility on the fifth day to continue their quarantine at home. PAL has seen travel demand slump by about 75% due to the pandemic. Earlier this month it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US.
