US warns against travel to Philippines, citing 'very high level' of COVID-19
MANILA, Philippines — The United States Centers for Disease and Control Prevention discouraged travel to the Philippines due to the “very high level of COVID-19” in the country.
The US CDC added the Philippines on its list of countries under “Level Four: Very High,” its highest tier on its travel health notices, that advise “avoid travel to this destination.”
In its website, the CDC said incidence rates and new case trajectories are their primary criteria for deciding the COVID-19 level of a destination.
The CDC said that those who intend to travel to the Philippines must be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines before they travel to the country.
“Even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, you may still be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19,” the notice read.
The US CDC also reminded travelers that anyone two years or older must wear a well-fitting mask in indoor places and follow all requirements in the Philippines.
The Philippines, as of January 31, has 190,818 active cases, with 14,546 logged as new infections on Monday.
The national government last week suspended the "green-yellow-red list" system, which is used to classify countries, territories and jurisdictions based on their COVID-19 risk levels.
In its revised protocols effective February 1, fully-vaccinated travelers will be required to present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure. They will also be longer required to undergo mandatory facility-based quarantine.
Fully-vaccinated nationals of non-visa required countries will also be allowed to enter the Philippines starting February 10. — Kristine Joy Patag with reports from Gaea Katreena Cabico
Find the latest travel and tourism news from around the world amid the coronavirus pandemic. Main image by AFP/Romeo Gacad
Airlines will fly 4.35 billion passengers this year, close to the 2019 record as the industry bounces back from the Covid pandemic, an industry group said on Monday.
The sector will also be back in the green, with net profits forecast to reach $9.8 billion in 2023, or double previous estimates, boosted by the end of China's Covid restrictions, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The association added that its 2022 losses were half as bad as previously estimated at $3.6 billion.
"Airline financial performance in 2023 is beating expectations," IATA director general Willie Walsh said in a statement during the association's annual general meeting in Istanbul.
"Stronger profitability is supported by several positive developments. China lifted Covid-19 restrictions earlier in the year than anticipated," Walsh said. — AFP
Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific reports its first annual operating profit since 2019 as the airline fights to return to pre-pandemic flight capacity.
"Cathay Pacific has experienced three challenging years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with 2022 very much being a year of two halves," chairman Patrick Healy says in a statement announcing the results..
Cathay is still trailing regional rivals such as Singapore Airlines, with Hong Kong's axing of harsh pandemic curbs -- including mandatory hotel quarantine and strict testing requirements -- only beginning in the fall of last year.
The airline operated at one-third of pre-pandemic passenger flight capacity in December but expects to reach 70% of that figure by the end of 2023, the company says. — AFP
German airline giant Lufthansa says Friday it returned to annual profit in 2022 after two years of losses, its fortunes lifted by rebounding demand as economies reopened after COVID-19 shutdowns.
The group reported a net profit of 791 million euros ($839 million) for last year. This compares to a net loss of 2.2 billion euros in 2021 and 6.7 billion euros in 2020.
"Lufthansa is back," says the company's CEO Carsten Spohr. — AFP
People hoping to take advantage of a Hong Kong scheme to give away half a million free airline tickets face hours-long online queues on Wednesday, as the Asian financial hub bids to woo tourists back.
The city last month launched a campaign to reboot its reputation as "Asia's world city", after years of strict pandemic-related travel restrictions and a crackdown on sometimes violent pro-democracy protests.
On Wednesday, Hong Kong became one of the last places in the world to drop its outdoor mask mandate, which city leader John Lee said was a sign that it was "resuming normalcy". — AFP
Australian airline Qantas says Thursday it bounced back into profit in late 2022, hailing a "huge turnaround" after swallowing massive losses throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The national carrier posted a second-half profit of Aus$1.43 billion (US$974 million) before tax, after accumulating Aus$7 billion in losses across the previous three years.
Chief executive Alan Joyce says surging demand for flights had boosted the company's fortunes while announcing a plan to buy back Aus$500 million in Qantas shares. — AFP
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