China imposes flight ban on AUA due to five corona cases
The AUA is not allowed to transport passengers to China for two weeks. The Chinese civil aviation authority CAAC imposed a two-week flight ban on Austrian Airlines on March 19, as the online portal Aviation.Direct reported on Sunday. The reason for this is that on March 5, there were five corona-positive passengers on board the Shanghai flight. The AUA confirmed the ban to the APA.
The Chinese health authority tested a total of five passengers who flew with OS 75 from Vienna to Shanghai on March 5, 2021, positive for the corona virus. Other airlines such as China Southern, Emirates or Air China have also received a two-week flight ban for this reason. In the case of repetition, this could also be longer, wrote the news site.
China requires extensive testing before departure. The travelers also have to be tested again at the point of change. However, it happens again and again that PCR tests carried out after arriving in China are positive.
Specifically, passengers flying directly from Austria must present a negative PCR and negative antibody test upon departure. Both must not be older than 48 hours. The test results must be confirmed by the Chinese embassy in Austria. Only then is entry into China permitted.
Transfer passengers flying to Shanghai via Vienna must complete this process in the country in which they begin their journey. After arriving in Vienna, you will have to carry out another PCR and antibody test in the transit area at Vienna Airport. Both have to be negative again and here too the result is confirmed by the Chinese embassy. Only then will you receive the necessary permit.
“The five people affected are exclusively transfer passengers who have flown to Vienna Airport from different destinations and who had to wear FFP2 masks during their entire stay at the airport and on board Austrian Airlines,” said AUA press spokesman Leonhard Steinmann on APA -Demand. An infection on board is “extremely unlikely”.
“The ban will apply from March 22nd and will affect two connections – one flight each in the next two weeks,” Steinmann continued. Theoretically, the AUA should fly to China without passengers for the next two weeks in order to bring passengers back to Austria, “we’ll see that later,” said the spokesman.
The next regular flight to Shanghai is scheduled for April 9th. Passengers affected by the flight ban should be rebooked. The decision only affects AUA, not the rest of the Lufthansa Group.
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