Covid-19: Philippines imposes travel ban, Emirates and Etihad restrict passenger numbers

Foreigners and some Filipino citizens face a month-long ban on travel into Manila

The Philippines has announced a month-long ban on the entry of foreigners and some citizens to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. Reuters

The Philippines has announced a ban on foreigners and on some citizens entering the country at Manila's Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The government's new rules will come into effect on Saturday and run for one month, until at least April 19.

Foreigners and returning citizens who have not been working overseas will not be able to enter the Philippines during the temporary ban.

Filipino workers from overseas can still return home, and there will be exceptions for emergency cases and diplomats.

Who can travel to the Philippines during the ban?

Only certain categories of passengers will be allowed to fly into Manila during the month-long restrictions. Courtesy Cebu Pacific

During the temporary travel ban, only travellers that fit the following criteria can fly to the Philippines:

• Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
• Holders of 9(e) visas
• Passengers on medical repatriation and their approved escorts
• Distressed Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs) approved by the Department of Foreign Affairs
• Emergency, humanitarian and other cases approved by the National Task Force for Covid-19

Travellers who do not belong to one of these groups and were due to fly to the Philippines between this Saturday and Monday, April 19, will need to change their travel plans.

Are flights to the Philippines being cancelled?

A cap on traveller numbers at Manila's international airport has also been implemented.

Airlines are expected to introduce schedule changes to comply with new daily passenger limits on arrivals in the Philippines. Courtesy Etihad

From Saturday, only 1,500 passengers a day will be able to fly into the capital, according to the Philippines's Civil Aeronautics Board.

Emirates confirmed that flights from Dubai to Manila would operate with a reduced capacity until Sunday, April 18.

"Our flights from Dubai to Manila, Clark and Cebu are operating as scheduled however, for flights to Manila, capacity is restricted until Sunday, April 18, subject to review by the authorities. Our outbound flights from the three points in the Philippines remain unaffected," an Emirates representative told The National.

The airline confirmed it could not accommodate all passengers on their original flights, but said it was working "hard to minimise disruption as much as possible."

Etihad is also temporarily restricting the number of passengers able to fly on flights between Abu Dhabi and Manila.

"Following regulations being updated by the Philippines authorities, a further limit on the number of passengers per flight allowed to disembark at Manila International Airport has been applied. As a result, Etihad Airways is temporarily restricting the number of passengers carried between Abu Dhabi and Manila from March 18 until April 18, 2021," an Etihad representative told The National.

The airline is advising passengers due to fly to the Philippines to contact Etihad before travelling to ensure plans are not disrupted.

Philippine Airlines confirmed on its website that a number of international flights to and from Manila will need to be cancelled to comply with the new measures.

The national airline of the Philippines said it would announce flight cancellations for this period once more details are confirmed.

What restrictions are in place in the Philippines?

The new travel restrictions come as the Philippines' Covid-19 case numbers surged to the highest level in seven months this week.

The measures are set to prevent the spread of new coronavirus strains from other countries entering the population.

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  A contact tracer interviews quarantined residents following a spike in COVID-19 positive cases in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines. EPA

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  A resident cleans in front of her home on a street under lockdown following a spike in COVID-19 positive cases in Manila. EPA

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  Health workers in protective suits walk after performing swab tests on residents at a village under lockdown in Manila. AP

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  The Department of Health has been reporting a surge in infections for more than a week. AP

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  A health worker gets vaccinated with Sinovac Biotech's Coronavac on the first day of the COVID-19 inoculation drive in the Philippines. Reuters

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  Filipino police officers inspect identification documents of motorists at a checkpoint to enforce curfew in Manila, Philippines. EPA

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  A city employee disinfects houses at an informal settlers area in Manila on March 16, 2021, as the number of new daily cases of Covid-19 coronavirus has surged to the highest level in seven months. AFP

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  A vendor walks past a neighbourhood under strict quarantine measures in Pasay City, suburban Manila. AFP / Ted ALJIBE

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  A resident wearing a face shield walks along a street in a Manila neighbourhood under strict quarantine measures. AFP / Ted ALJIBE

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  An armed police officer stands by a checkpoint placed to implement a curfew in the country's capital amid rising coronavirus cases. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

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  Armed police direct a curfew violator to a holding area as the government implements a new curfew in the country's capital. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

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  Local officials wearing face masks and face shields as protection against the coronavirus disease at a quarantine checkpoint in a village under local lockdown. REUTERS/Lisa Marie David/File Photo

On Wednesday, March 16, the Philippines had recorded 631,320 coronavirus cases to date. A year since the country first imposed lockdown measures, strict curfews and restrictions remain in place in some areas.

In Metro Manila, one of the worst hit areas, targeted lockdowns, night-time curfews and a stay-at-home order for children are in place to curb the spread of the virus.

Security checkpoints on the borders of the capital and neighbouring provinces continue to operate to deter unwarranted travel amid the pandemic.