By Juan Pedro Sanchez Zamudio
Bolivia Will Reopen Its Airspace in September
Following a meeting of the cabinet, the interim Government of Bolivia announced on August 27 at that the country will reopen its airspace in September, among other measures to relax the quarantine that has been in force in the country for five months.
The country will go into next month as “a post-confinement and community surveillance phase” in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, stated Acting Minister of the Presidency, Yerko Núñez.
“This phase maintains some quarantine restrictions but softens others, with the aim of both preserving the health of the population and helping the economy to recover,” declared Núñez.
According to Infobae, this flexibility includes the airspace reopening, which was closed since the quarantine began at the end of March. During the quarantine, only humanitarian repatriation flights of Bolivians and residents in the country were operating, while domestic flights were partially resumed in June.
The Bolivian Government will be “demanding” in the requirement of biosafety measures. In addition, it will be necessary to present a negative COVID-19 test (PCR) carried out endorsed by a Bolivian Consulate before entering the country.
According to the Supreme Decree 4309, people entering to Bolivia since August 20 from abroad, are not obligated to spend the quarantine period in a hotel.
The Supreme Decree indicates that Bolivian citizens, foreigners residing in Bolivia, people from diplomatic missions must present a PCR test certification that proves that the person who arrives in the country tested negative for COVID-19. These are to be granted by a legally constituted laboratory in the country of origin with a validity of no more than seven days from the scheduled date of entry, which has to be endorsed by the respective Bolivian Consulate.
CP-3017 after deboarding in Viru Viru. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | João Machado)
According to eldeber, during this week, Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) scheduled flights to Miami on August 21 and 25, to Buenos Aires, Argentina on August 21 and to Madrid on August 22. While Amaszonas promotes repatriation flights to Iquique on August 27 and to Quito on August 28.
For those who travel to Miami, a negative test for COVID-19 is not required, but people who were in China, Iran or Europe, 14 days before the flight, cannot enter the U.S. To enter the rest of the cities mentioned, a negative test for COVID-19 is required.
Both Boliviana de Aviación and Amaszonas have not made a statement about the borders opening in Bolivia, neither mentioned the destinations to which they will operate and its frequencies.
The three things Juan Pedro loves most about aviation are aircraft, airports, and traveling thousands of miles in just a few hours. What he enjoys the most about aviation is that it is easier and cheaper to travel around the world and this gives you the opportunity to visit places you thought were too far away. He has traveled to different destinations in North, Central, South America and Asia. Born, raised and still living in Perú, Juan is a lawyer, soccer lover, foodie, passionate traveler, dog lover, millennial and curious by nature.