Spain Receives 100 Flights From Schengen Countries, a Day After Reopening Its Borders
A total of 100 passenger aircraft from the Schengen Zone arrived at the Spanish airports on the first day after the country reopened its borders, on June 21, for European Union and Schengen area nationals, except Portugal, which have been closed so far due to the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).
According to the Spanish airport operator AENA, on Sunday, 40 flights alone have arrived at Madrid’s Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport alone, 18 of which were international flights,
Spain’s government decided to reopen country’s borders for all European Union and Schengen countries on June 21, except for Portugal with which the borders will reopen on July, despite EU’s recommendation to lift internal border restrictions by June 15.
According to the Minister of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, José Luis Ábalos, and the Minister of Health, Salvador Illa, Spain has reopened its borders with a protocol that will be implemented at all airports in the network. Travellers arriving in the country will have to undergo three health checks, the Ministers claim.
Both ministers anticipated the move during their visit to the Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport to supervise the security measures which have been put in place as part of efforts to prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.
According to Spain’s authorities, all travellers should fill out a document with detailed information, such as location data and whether they have passed the COVID-19 disease. Besides, they must pass a temperature control and a visual one. If the passenger does not pass one of the three controls, “he will be examined by a doctor.”
Recently, Spain’s government has decided to allocate more than 4.2 billion euros to revive the tourism sector, which has been devastated by the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19).
