Philippine Airlines (PAL) has confirmed that it has applied for the ‘Bayanihan flights’ that will fly home Filipinos from the UAE for the month of August.
In a phone call with The Filipino Times, PAL Country Manager to the UAE Agnes Pagaduan stated that they have applied as many as three flights a week.
“We filed three flights per week for the month of August subject to approval. It also depends on the availability of quarantine facility in Manila,” said Pagaduan, referring to flight clearances issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
She advised passengers whose flights were affected by the travel ban since June to contact PAL through the following channels to check updates on flight schedules and see if they can move their tickets to the earliest available flight.
Dubai: 04-3166632
Abu Dhabi: 02-622-2462
RELATED STORY: ‘Bayanihan flights’ for repatriation starting August to prioritize passengers with previously-canceled tickets
Strict 48-hour PCR test window
Pagaduan stressed that all Filipinos who will be included in the Bayanihan/Charter flights will have to undergo a PCR test, 48 hours prior to their flight.
She stated that the government strictly follows the time of PCR test swabbing, not the time when the PCR test result is released. Those whose swab timings will exceed the 48 hour window will not be allowed to board the flight.
“Example if flight departure is 7pm of 02August PCR test shall be done not earlier than 7pm of 31 Jul. Counting of 48 hours should start from the time of swabbing and not from the release of the RT-PCR Test Result. RT-PCR Negative Certificate must be presented upon check-in, passenger holding expired certificate will not be accepted. ” advised Pagaduan.
She advised passengers to secure a physical copy of their RT-PCR swab test certificate that shows the exact time when they got swabbed.
READ ON: DFA announces dates of UAE repatriation flights available in August
Tourists to pay for hotel quarantine
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF)’s latest guidelines for the “Bayanihan flights” also state that Filipino tourists will have to shoulder and pay for their own hotel quarantine facility.
Pagaduan states that all Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs) or Holding Tourist Visa need to present their hotel quarantine booking confirmation of 14 days upon check-in.
She also clarified that next of kin traveling with OFW back to PH will be covered by OWWA. Otherwise, relatives of OFWs who will be traveling back to the Philippines on their own will have to pay.
QR codes from One Health Pass required
In addition, all returning Filipinos are also expected to fill out the ‘One Health Pass’ form through the website: https://www.onehealthpass.com.ph/e-HDC/
The Philippines’ Bureau of Quarantine requires all passengers to submit a completely filled-up Health Declaration Checklist upon arrival at the airport quarantine screening area.
This will replace the yellow paper form distributed onboard to an electronic system through the One Health Pass.
Upon completion, each passenger will be issued a Personal QR Code that will be specific and unique for the passenger.
The passenger must be ready to present the QR Code upon arrival in Manila.
