Middle East Airlines (MEA) announced new conditions that apply to travelers to Lebanon as the country prepares to re-enter lockdown.
MEA said that a PCR test is now mandatory for arrivals to Beirut from all countries.
It also announced the following conditions and requirements for entry to Lebanon, in accordance with the circular issued by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation on July 28th:
- All passengers must perform a PCR examination in a laboratory accredited by the relevant authorities in the countries of departure within a maximum of 96 hours (4 days) before the date of the trip to Lebanon.
- All passengers must present their test results at check-in counters. Passengers who do not carry a negative test result will not be permitted to board an MEA plane to Lebanon.
- All passengers must fill out the Lebanese Health Ministry’s online form before boarding the plane.
- Upon arrival at Rafik Hariri International Airport, MEA passengers will undergo another PCR test, at the airline company’s expense, and the results will be reported to their subjects within 48 hours by the Ministry of Public Health.
- While awaiting their test results, arrivals must commit to self-isolation.
- Passengers who test positive for the second examination must follow the medical guidelines and procedures determined by the Health Ministry until they recover.
- Any individual who shows any symptoms of COVID-19 – or any similar symptoms – will not be allowed to board an aircraft to Beirut.
- All travelers must comply with the Health Ministry’s guidelines.
Mandatory hotel reservations
Passengers arriving in Lebanon as a final destination on direct or transit flights from Iraq and all African countries except South Africa, Central African Republic, Ghana, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco must have:
- A prepaid hotel reservation for 48 hours at one of the hotels approved by the Ministry of Tourism at reduced prices.
The accredited hotels are the Golden Tulip Hotel Group, Lancaster Hotels, and Radisson Blu Martinez Hotel.
Exceptions:
- Passengers who depart from and return to Lebanon within one week are not required to undergo a PCR test before departing to Lebanon again but will undergo a test upon their arrival in Beirut.
- Children under 12 are exempt from the PCR test.
Get the latest news and updates about the coronavirus outbreak in Lebanon along with a live monitor of cases in Lebanon as well as resources and information to help you guide the outbreak on our dedicated coronavirus page.