After the end of the Covid-zero policy and almost three years of lockdown, China has reopened its borders to foreign countries. The first flight from China arrived in Austria on Monday morning. The Austrian Airlines plane from Shanghai landed at Vienna-Schwechat Airport at around 6:25 am. Because of the strong spread of corona in the country, Austria, like many other countries, has introduced a corona test obligation for travelers from the People’s Republic.
Seven were not allowed to fly
Passengers must present a negative PCR test before departure, which must be no more than 48 hours old. Almost all passengers were able to present a valid PCR test at check-in and therefore met official requirements, one said. Austrian Airlines spokesperson for the APA. “Only seven of the 230 passengers were unable to produce a PCR test with the necessary validity and therefore were unable to board the flight.”
Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) had announced the mandatory test on Thursday. He joined the decisions of several governments around the world. So far, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Greece, France, Spain, Italy, Britain, US, Israel, Japan and Portugal have declared that corona tests are necessary. Morocco went even further and banned all entry from China, regardless of travellers’ nationality.