Alper Aydın 
As weeks are passing in our new normal life, coronavirus cases, especially in the US and Europe, don’t decrease. Meanwhile, it seems like Asian countries are coping better with the situation. Although cases are not decreasing worldwide, travel restrictions are easing in general. This week’s news is mainly focusing on destination news. Except for that, aviation news and what happens to our planet will be on our agenda. Let’s start with destination news.
Destination News
Work Remotely in Dubai
Again, one of the trending government policies to attract visitors was a remote working visa during the pandemic. While many countries didn’t allow tourists for a short period of visits, allowing remote workers is an easier way to cope with the spread of coronavirus. The latest news from a destination providing a remote worker visa was Dubai. If you would like to live in Dubai for one year, you should have $ 5.000 of a monthly salary. Meanwhile, the cost of applying for the visa is $ 287. And, the government doesn’t require any tax on your income during your stay.
Japan Opens For Long Term Visitors
Japan was one of the strictest countries as many other Asian countries. After launching travel bubbles with some of the Asian countries, now Japan further eases travel restrictions. By October, visitors who will stay longer than 3 months will be able to enter Japan.
Peru Partially Opens for International Flights
Peru is allowing some international flights for the first time since the pandemic started back in March. The country will accept flights from 7 Central and South American countries including; Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Uruguay, and Paraguay. Also, flights with Europe may start soon as well. However, opening borders doesn’t mean that you don’t need tests or quarantine to enter Peru.
Travel Bubble Updates
Now, let’s take a look at which countries open their borders mutually. This week, we have seen that some of Far East countries agreed on new travel corridors. During the pandemic, we have witnessed that countries like Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and Vietnam were battling against the coronavirus very successfully. And, now they are creating travel bubbles between each other. If you are not sure what ‘travel bubble’ or ‘travel corridor’ means, you can check out our article explaining these terms.
Hong Kong and Singapore Agrees for a Travel Corridor
Hong Kong and Singapore are both little countries in terms of their landscape. However, when it comes to trade, investment, finance, and tourism, both countries are among the richest countries in the world. Thanks to their tax regulations and economical policies, they are the center of trades in Asia. Actually, both countries are pretty similar in terms of many aspects. Thanks to their strong economic structures, these countries had a chance to keep their borders strictly closed during the pandemic. And finally, these highly protective countries came to seriously low numbers of cases by their efforts. Meanwhile, many tourism-dependent and economically fragile countries couldn’t resist the economic burden of the pandemic. And, they had to open their borders at some point to come over this economic struggle.
Before the pandemic, the air traffic between Hong Kong and Singapore was being one of the busiest routes in Asia. Close to half-million people arrive in Hong Kong from Singapore in 2019. Now, these two countries announced that they will open their borders bilaterally. Air travelers will have to submit their negative COVID-19 test and there won’t be any quarantine. Countries plan to increase and enhance their economic relation to boost their tourism sectors.
Trans-Tasman Covid-safe Travel Zone
The travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand or ‘trans-Tasman Covid-safe travel zone’ was the topic of April when the number of cases was low back in time. Today, the proposal is in the process. Unlike Hong Kong and Singapore case, this travel bubble seems to be one-sided. That means that travelers who arrive in Australia from New Zealand don’t face a quarantine when they submit their negative tests. However, when they go back to New Zealand, they are imposed two-weeks of quarantine. Considering the strong relationships between those countries, many friends and relatives had a chance to meet each other after a long time of period.
Aviation Updates
Air Travel Seems to Be the Safest Way of Travelling in the Pandemic
The risk of contracting #COVID19 on an airplane remains low.
— IATA (@IATA) October 8, 2020
In a period where 1.2 bn passengers traveled, less than 50 cases were reported where transmission is thought to have been assoc. with flying.
More info ➡️ https://t.co/X1BWsIIhun#FlySafe #ReadyToFly pic.twitter.com/vtx51E5wsa
IATA, the biggest aviation authority that regulates and enforces most of the aviation rules, published this research recently. You can also find the details and analysis of this claim via here. By looking at the research, airplanes seem like the most secure way of traveling in terms of disease transmission. Like as it was said at the beginning of the pandemic, HEPA Filters in the airplanes seem to clear the inside air of the cabin. When it comes to intercity buses especially, there are no windows or air filters on the bus. So, it makes sense that airplanes offer a better-circulated air inside the cabin. But, still considering all journeys of air travel, being in the airport, going to the airport and etc may expose you to risk. All in all, the decision of travelling or not will be always up to you.
Finnish Airline Selling Airplane Food in a Grocery Store
Weeks to weeks, we are kind of repeating this sort of news from airlines. We have seen many airlines coming from different solutions to keep up their revenues that they have lost during the hard times of the pandemic. We have seen airlines selling their inflight bar-carts, opening fast-food restaurants to serve their inflight food, and airlines launching flights nowhere. And, actually I myself as an aviation lover like such ideas to remind about things related to flying while I can’t fly much at the moment due to the pandemic. This week’s airline is Finnish Airline.
The ‘Taste of Finnair’ meals are available at the K-Citymarket Tammisto and are inspired by Nordic and Japanese flavors. The menu consists of ready-made business class-inspired meals. Meanwhile, the menu will be changing every two weeks. Starters cost from €5.90 ($6.92) and main courses from €12.90 ($15.13). The meals are prepared by Finnair’s chefs and are handmade in the airline’s dedicated Finnair Kitchen. If the project becomes successful, Finnair may surely increase production and consider to offer the meals in other stores too.
We Are Losing Our Planet
According to the ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies in Queensland, Australia, The Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its coral. This result mainly derives from the effect of climate change. The reef experienced record-breaking temperatures in early 2020. The study suggests that corals declined in the past three decades since the 1990s. The coral loss means a direct loss of habitat, which in turn reduces the fish abundance and the productivity of coral reef fisheries. All that shows that we have to take measures immediately to save our planet. And, it obviously proves that we don’t have much time to lose for starting taking necessary actions.
By this chance, I would like to say goodbye for this week, reminding the quote of Ban Ki-moon on the topic of climate change.
There is no plan B, because there is no PLANET B!
Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations
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