No, it is not. This regulation made me modify the travel plans and instead of flying to Cairo and spending a few days there we had to change tickets and fly to Sharm.
Hopefully the exception for the Red Sea airports will not change.
Red Sea (Egypt) closed (covid-19 confined)
- Thread starter Sunn
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No, it is not. This regulation made me modify the travel plans and instead of flying to Cairo and spending a few days there we had to change tickets and fly to Sharm.
Hopefully the exception for the Red Sea airports will not change.
I couldn't get any serious answer about such allowance from any airline that was relevant to our trip. It would be logical to have such allowance if you don't have to clear immigration in Cairo, but...
JustSurfaceInterval
Contributor
My source is the German Federal Foreign Office and it's information about Egypt (for those wanting to brush up their German...)
Translation by Deepl.com:
From 15 August, a negative PCR test is required for entry into Egypt, which must not be older than 72 hours. No PCR test is required for entry into the South Sinai, Red Sea and Matrouh governorates (Sharm El-Sheikh, Taba, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Marsa Matrouh airports). This also applies to transit of up to six hours via Cairo airport. A test is required when tourists from these areas travel to other parts of Egypt.
JustSurfaceInterval
Contributor
No. My assumption would be that the planned transit has to be within the 6 hours. If circumstance occurs which are not the responsibility or control of the traveller, the 6 hours can be extended.
bvbellomo
Contributor
I fly into Cairo in November, and was hoping to spend some time there - but worst case scenario, I can just get on a plane in Cairo to Marsa Alam and see the pyramids next time. Of course, hopefully by November, this will all be over and done with.
I am not sure what they were thinking - the 72 hour rule is highly impractical. They should make it standard practice to PCR anyone who wants to leave the Cairo airport and quarantine them until the results get back but allow a negative test within 72 hours to avoid this - they could even make a small profit charging for tests and it would be less disruptive.
I am not sure what they were thinking - the 72 hour rule is highly impractical. They should make it standard practice to PCR anyone who wants to leave the Cairo airport and quarantine them until the results get back but allow a negative test within 72 hours to avoid this - they could even make a small profit charging for tests and it would be less disruptive.
JustSurfaceInterval
Contributor
That's very unlikely, IMHO. That would mean the virus disappears or the figures world wide become so low that it is no longer a pandemic. I would rather prepare to get a PCR Test in time.
Have the PCR Test done where? at the Airport? and Quarantine where? at the next 5* resorts?
And where do you think this test can be done in Egypt? your LOB will be equiped with test facilities? you will end your LOB 3 days early to get the test?
Sorry, but
You can choose Sharm or Hurghada this time, take the PCR test there and visit Cairo a few day when you leave Egypt.
The worst bit about the 72 hours rule is that you take a PCR test and bet a lot of money on the result which can easily be a false positive. By the time you take another test you already lost the flight tickets and possibly a good part of the hotel money (or all of the liveaboard money as well).
Ministryofgiraffes
Contributor
hooohooohoooo.. i have a 5 hours 30 min transit time in cairo......it's going to be close!
nippurmagnum
Contributor
I dove the Red Sea northern route out of Hurghada last year, and loved it. I'd planned to do a return trip this year, sailing this Saturday, out of Port Ghalib. I made a reservation pre-COVID over the phone with the operator, but he wouldn't take a credit card over the phone, and told me that he'd hold the reservation without a card. I would LOVE to honor the reservation if the boat is still sailing, especially because the operator took my word for it, but I am just not going to try to run the gauntlet of COVID tests, quarantines, missed connections, and last minute flight and boat cancellations. In a sense, I'm in the flip side of the coin of operators who got paid deposits and are not offering a full refund, and are instead giving a credit for a future trip. I definitely want to do another trip, but not willing to take all the risks described above.
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