Germany imposed requirements for a negative Covid-19 test on all arriving air passengers from Monday (March 29) amid concerns about international travel at Easter exacerbating a surge in infections.
Previously, only passengers entering Germany from countries or regions designated ‘high risk’ were required to provide a negative test result on arrival before going into 10-day quarantine.
The German health ministry also toughened restrictions at the borders with France, Austria, Denmark and the Czech Republic.
Travellers crossing the border must provide a negative result of a test within the last 48 hours and go into 10-day quarantine, although this can be shortened by a second negative test after five days.
The new requirements came after airlines added hundreds of flights to Majorca from Germany for the Easter holiday.
Authorities in Majorca opened testing centres at the airport and in large hotels to cater for German tourists, who must pay for the pre-departure tests before heading home.
One German tourist told news agency Reuters: “It’s all quite a hassle.” Reuters reported “a lot of people complaining about the queues” for tests at the airport.
There was also confusion about when outbound travel from Germany might resume at a greater scale.
German economics state secretary Thomas Bareiss suggested that summer holidays should be possible from the end of June thanks to the mass vaccination roll-out, saying: “This will make holidays and restaurant visitors safely feasible for everyone.”
However, Helge Braun, Chancellor Merkel’s chief of staff said travel may be possible only from August.