Travel to Spain: which flights are already activated until the first days of September

From today, Spain will no longer require compliance with a mandatory quarantine for travelers from six countries in Latin America and Africa, including Argentina. The requirement was aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus caused by visitors from countries classified as having high internal traffic. Thus, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Namibia and South Africa are no longer considered by Spain as countries with high circulation of the Sars-CoV-2 virus.

Yes indeed, Argentines traveling to Spain can do so without the obligation to complete the mandatory 10-day quarantine upon arrival. However, so far the government has only allowed flights after August. Argentine airlines. Level e Iberia, the two other airlines that serve the European country, have their frequencies activated until August 31.

At one week from the end of the month, very few flights are authorized to the European country. These are:

– Iberia: The Spanish company has only one flight from Ezeiza to Madrid on August 27. He announced a few days ago that his frequencies for August 25 and 30 would be canceled and operated by Level, his airline. at low price.

– Level: The low-cost airline will take the two flights canceled by Iberia and connect Ezeiza to Barcelona on August 26 and 31.

– Argentine airlines: The airline has flights to Madrid on August 25, 27 and 29 and is the only airline that already knows its frequencies for the first five days of September. Official company sources have confirmed that they will fly to the Spanish capital on September 1, 3 and 5.

But those traveling to Spain should be aware that the country requires travelers to have the full vaccination schedule of any of the coronavirus drugs approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and those on the list of emergency from the World Health Organization (WHO). As indicated in the ministerial decree published in the Official Journal of the Spanish State (BOE) of June 9, 2021, the approved vaccines are: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Sinopharm and Sinovac-Cronavac.

For the time being, Spain and European countries do not recognize Russian vaccine Sputnik V, although it is expected that the Health of this country will decide on the combination of vaccines, and especially whether the inoculant of Russian origin will be accepted in the combination.

Another important point is that the vaccination schedule must have been completed at least 14 days before entering Spain.

In the event of non-possession of one of the vaccines recognized by Spain, people wishing to enter the country must pass one of the tests for active diagnosed infection (PDIA) considered valid. These are: PCR (COVID-19 RT-PCR) and other molecular tests for the detection of viral RNA with equivalent reliability for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. Rapid antigen detection tests or high throughput serologies are not valid.

However, the fact that Spain has removed the mandatory ten-day quarantine for visitors from Argentina, and from five other countries, does not imply that there are no restrictions on entry.

As reported by Infobae, the provision INT / 657/2020 of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior is still in force, which limits the entry into the country of non-residents of the European Union. Likewise, the authorities can refuse access to any person for “reasons of public order or public health”. Spanish regulations do not specify the specific cases of refusal, but only the exceptions. In other words, you will only be able to enter the country if you “belong to one of the following categories”:

1 – Residents of the European Union. States of the Schengen area, Andorra, Monaco, the Vatican (Holy See) and / or San Marino which go to this country by certifying it by documents.

2 – Holders of a long-term visa issued by a Schengen Member or Associate State to that country.

3 – Health professionals, including health researchers, and professionals in the care of the elderly who are going or returning to exercise their professional activity.

4 – Transport staff, seafarers and aeronautical personnel necessary for the exercise of air transport activities.

5 – Diplomatic staff, consular, international organizations, civil protection, military and members of humanitarian organizations traveling in the exercise of their functions.

6 – Students who are studying in one of the Member States or States associated with the Schengen area and who have the corresponding visa or permit and medical insurance, provided that they travel to the country where they are studying, and that the entry takes place during the school year or the 15 days preceding the start of the event.

7 – Highly skilled workers whose work is necessary and cannot be postponed or carried out remotely. This section includes high level athletes who must participate in training or sporting events in Spain.

8 – Travelers who must enter the country for compelling family reasons.

9 – People who justify reasons of force majeure or a situation of need, or whose entry is authorized for humanitarian reasons.

However, those traveling to Spain should consider that they will not be able to move freely in the rest of the European countries. Currently, there is no unanimity on border permits and each country may require different requirements for a traveler to enter its territory. The European Commission has defined that all people traveling in Europe must have a health pass, it can be obtained by a foreigner who is on European territory thanks to a PCR test or a negative antigen test which will allow him to generate a QR code which will be requested by the border authorities.

This pass may also be required to enter bars, restaurants, museums and other establishments. For example in Paris, it is compulsory to enter the Eiffel Tower as well as the Louvre museum.

In addition to these provisions, which leave a margin of appreciation to the authorities, the income regulations in each of the countries indicate that the risks of traveling during a pandemic must be taken into account, and that the tourist may be burdened with restrictions. possible, quarantines, confinements if the health authorities so require. Special travel insurance may also be requested, such as payment by the traveler for any situation resulting from a health problem.

The recommendation for anyone planning to travel to Europe is to consult the consular authorities of the country of destination beforehand. Travelers are also recommended to keep in mind the limitations of flight availability, as in the case of Argentina, where the government has established an entry quota of people from abroad per day., which makes post-pandemic displacement a complex and risky situation.

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