Head of Egypt's Civil Aviation Authority Ashraf Noweir decided on Wednesday to allow some travellers arriving at the country's airports to present a negative PCR test result if it was taken within 96 hours of the traveller's arrival, rather than the previous 72 hours, a statement by the Ministry of Immigration and expatriate affairs said. In August, the civil aviation ministry said that negative PCR test, required of all travellers, including Egyptians, must be conducted 72 hours prior to the scheduled flight. Wednesday's statement said that those coming from Japan, China, Thailand, North and South America, and Canada, as well as from London's Heathrow, Paris, or Frankfurt airports, can present PCR test certificates conducted up to 96 hours prior to their scheduled flights. The authority said in the statement that the 24 hours extension came due to the "long travel and transit times at those airports," stressing the necessity to adhere to all precautionary measures during the travel period. Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs Nabila Makram hailed the decision and thanked the health and aviation ministers for the new facilities put in place for those coming from abroad, the statement said. On 1 September, Egypt allowed travellers entering Egypt at any of four airports in the Red Sea governorate and South Sinai to take a coronavirus test upon arrival, which would exempt them from submitting negative PCR test results taken before they boarded their flights. The four airports are the Sharm El-Sheikh and Taba airports in South Sinai, and the Hurghada and Marsa Alam airports in the Red Sea governorate. Passengers arriving at these airports can take the coronavirus test for $30 if they do not already have their own PCR test result, a statement by the Egyptian civil aviation ministry said. Egypt announced in July the gradual resumption of international flights at its airports nationwide in line with the resumption of beach tourism in the South Sinai, Red Sea, and Matrouh governorates. More than 600 hotels nationwide have been allowed to reopen after adhering to the safety protocols announced by the authorities and at a reduced occupancy of 50 percent.
