Middle East Airlines updates preventive measures for COVID-19

Middle East Airlines mandated (29-Jul-2020) a number of procedures for passengers arriving in Lebanon as a final destination, according to a circular issued by Lebanon's Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which includes the following measures:

• Passengers must conduct a PCR test at an accredited laboratory in the country of departure no less than 96 hours prior to travel to Lebanon, and show the test results at check in counters. Passengers who do not carry a negative PCR test will not be permitted to board the aircraft to Lebanon;
• Passengers arriving at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport must undergo another PCR test at Middle East Airlines' expense, with passengers to be informed of the results within 48 hours by Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health;
• All passengers arriving in Lebanon as a final destination or direct/transit flight from Iraq and certain African countries must also hold a prepaid hotel reservation at a certain hotel approved by Lebanon's Ministry of Tourism for 48 hours, otherwise they will not be allowed to board the aircraft to Lebanon.

Passengers under the age of 12 are excluded from PCR tests, and passengers who have departed and returned to Lebanon within one week will not be required to conduct a PCR test in countries of their departure. [more - original PR]