File photo. Farooq Naeem—AFP
CAA issues Notice to Airmen allowing doubling of capacity for flights from Europe, the U.K., China, Malaysia, and Canada
Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) announcing easing of operational capacity limits from June 30 for inbound air travel originating from Europe, the U.K., China, Malaysia, and Canada.
“In view of the recent improvement in COVID-19 situation in various parts of the world, the curtailment of international inbound landing flight operations to Pakistan has been reviewed as under 1) increase of 20 percent flight operation in addition to already granted 20 percent (total 40 percent) of the approved summer 2021 schedule for flights operating directly from following region/countries to airports in Pakistan,” read the NOTAM issued last week, listing Europe, the U.K., China, Malaysia, and Canada.
In addition, read the CAA notification, status quo would be maintained at 20 percent for flights operating to Pakistan from all other countries. “Subsequent information on allocation of slots for such time period at our airports will be conveyed in due course as per guidelines of relevant authority,” it added.
Pakistan has been utilizing a three-tier system of A, B, C categories under which it determines the level of restrictions applicable on travelers from abroad. Countries listed in Category A—currently none—are exempted from mandatory coronavirus testing. Meanwhile, travel from countries listed under Category C—Argentina, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Maldives, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, and Uruguay—is completely banned and is only permitted through special exemption. All countries not listed under either category A or C are automatically placed under category B and require a negative PCR test obtained no earlier than 72 hours prior to commencement of travel.
In addition to the CAA announcement, the National Command and Operation Center governing Pakistan’s response to the pandemic has also expressed an intent to ease restrictions from July 1. According to health officials, the existing requirement of mandatory quarantine for all incoming travelers was being abolished, with only people who test positive for the coronavirus being required to quarantine at their homes.