Since the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic, the rules for international flights have changed dramatically. Most countries in the world currently do not completely ban foreign flights, but may impose specific conditions on them. Here we will talk about the main requirements for flying through EU airports that are currently in force. Let's take routes from Russia, Ukraine or Belarus to Mexico as a basis. We will not consider the criteria for having/taking a coronavirus test or filling out various forms in this material.
Let's start with flights from Russia. Formally, there are no restrictions on leaving Russia by air. However, regular passenger flights to EU countries are prohibited. Most airlines flying from Russia to the EU declare such flights as repatriation or cargo-passenger flights. If you want to take such a flight to Mexico, but you do not have EU or Mexican citizenship or residency, you may not be able to board the flight to the EU. Even if you are flying through the EU in transit on a single ticket. We wrote about this in thispublications.
Unlike Russia, there are no bans on flights of European airlines to Ukraine and Belarus. For this reason, European carriers, when flying to these countries, are able not to disguise their flights as “repatriation” flights, which require special conditions for the admission of passengers. And therefore, Ukrainians and Belarusians get to Mexico with one connection in Europe, while Russians are forced to make two connections, for example,Moscow — Istanbul — Amsterdam — Mexico City. Türkiye is one of the few countries where flights from Russia are allowed.
The EU itself continues to impose a ban on the entry of foreign guest countries. A complete ban was introduced on March 18, but from July 1, the European Union allowed the entry of guests from a number of countries around the world. Currently the list of «allowed» countries covers only 11 states, and this list has not been revised since August 16. There is no Russia, Ukraine or Belarus in it.
The ban on entering the EU for visiting purposes means that even if you have a Schengen visa, you are in no way able to enter the EU. You cannot enter the EU if you do not need a Schengen visa, as if you are a citizen of Mexico, Ukraine or the USA. You can only transit to a third country through several EU airports specially designated for this purpose during the coronavirus epidemic. These are Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Madrid and Barcelona. Barcelona now barely functions as an international hub.
Transit assumes that you have a single ticket, and the connection to the EU is provided by the airline. If you have two separate tickets, the first airline decides whether to allow you onto the flight to the EU. We talked about the risks of independent transplants in the EU in thismaterial. The airline also decides whether to reload your luggage onto the next flight. Let us remind you that Schengen visas are not valid, and you have no right to leave the transit area of the airport to pick up your luggage from the belt and check in for the next flight.
In addition, you will not be able to take advantage of flights through several EU countries, whether you have a single ticket or not, whether you have a Schengen visa or not. Let's say on a flightKyiv — Vilnius — Paris — Mexico Cityyou will not be seated because the flight is between Vilnius and Paris — This is an intra-European flight that requires entry into the Schengen area.
The EU is unlikely to expand the list of permitted countries in the near future. Considering that the European Union itself also has bans on movement between member states, and some of these bans have recently been extended for six months at once, most likely guest powers from Russia, Ukraine and other countries will not be able to enter the European Union until at least the beginning of 2021, or even until next spring.
Restrictions on the entry of tourists into the EU have a negative impact and will continue to affect all European routes. There will be no more airlines on routes from Europe to Cancun or Mexico City, and European low-cost airlines will not be able to resume flights to Mexico. Without competition, prices for transatlantic air travel will remain extremely high for a long time.
If you have citizenship of the Russian Federation, and you are traveling through Paris from a number of third countries on separate tickets, you will need a French airport or regular Schengen visa — more detailsHere. Let's say the routeMoscow — Istanbul — Paris — Mexico CityIf you connect independently in Paris without a visa, you may not be available. In the opposite direction, a visa is most often not needed.
And finally, the war of travel bans between the EU and the US also leaves an imprint on the availability of travel to Mexico. Just as the European Union prohibits the entry of visitors from the United States, the United States prohibits the entry of those who have visited the EU in the last 14 days. We are not talking about transit through the EU.
Let's say if you choose the routeVilnius — Paris — New York — Cancun, you are not able to make the flight because you are going to fly to the USA from an EU country.
If you buy separate ticketsKyiv — Paris, Paris — New Yorkand further to Mexico, with a high probability you will not be allowed on the flight to Paris. The airline may consider that you are entering the EU and not transiting, and then there is a ban on the entry of travelers from Europe to the United States.
To summarize, let's say that at least until the end of the year the list of reliable routes to Mexico will remain almost the same as it is now. For Ukrainians and Belarusians these are flights with one connection in Europe — VParis, Amsterdam, Frankfurt or Madrid. For Russians this isMoscow — Istanbul — Amsterdam / Frankfurt — Mexico.
Allowed, Turkish Airlines will finally begin flying to Mexico from the beginning of December. Then flights through the EU can be avoided.
We are skeptical about forecasts for the resumption of direct charter flights from Moscow to Cancun by the end of this year, but we believe that the Ukrainian Azur Air will launch charters from Kyiv from December 27, 2020. True, you can only buy an air ticket to Kyiv — Cancun without a tour will not be allowed.