Which airports in Africa are open for operations? Anyone planning technical or night stops on the continent will benefit from this country-by-country guide to operations at African airports.
Angola
Tech stops allowed for crew at FNLU, FNGI, FNMO, FNME, FNCA
Night stops for crew allowed at FNLU at certain hotels onl
Passenger flights for business are still not allowed
The gradual resumption of international scheduled flights begins from September 21
Benin
Airport: DBBB
Tech stop and night stop permitted
No quarantine for crew
Botswana
Airports: FBSK, FBKE, FBMN, FBFT
Technical stops only
No night stops allowed
Burkina Faso
Airport: DFFD, DFOO
Ouagadougou Airport (DFFD) is closed to all inbound international flights due to COVID-19 infection prevention with the following exemptions:
Aircraft in states of emergency
Cargo flights
Technical landings
Humanitarian flights/medevac/ repatriation flights
Crew shall not be permitted to disembark without authorization.
Crew members shall undergo strict mandatory quarantine under the supervision during their rotation/rest period.
Except for aircraft in states of emergency, the exempted flights must seek pre-authorization from ANAC/ Agence Nationale de l’Aviation Civile.
Burundi
Airport: HBBA
No tech or night stops allowed
Crew not allowed to leave the airport
Cargo, medevac and humanitarian flights allowed with special approval
Cabo Verde
Airports: GVAC, GVNP
Technical stops, cargo, medevac, and humanitarian flights are permitted
Night stops through normal channels
Cameroon
Closed to inbound flights with the exceptions of:
Tech stops
Medevac flights
Cargo flights
Aircraft in states of emergency
Repatriation and special government-authorized flights
Permits are available through normal channels.
Exempted flights must take off or land between 06:00 and 22:00 UTC from Monday – Friday.
Night stops are possible only at FKYS.
Central African Republic (CAR)
Scheduled flights are allowed to operate once a week per airline but special landing permits are required.
Crew rest overnight at a hotel is allowed but crew are not allowed to leave until their return to the airport.
Crew and passengers must carry a negative COVID certificate on arrival, must wear their protective masks, and respect social distancing rules.
Chad
Open for international flights.
All passengers must present PCR test on arrival or be quarantined for 14 days
Face masks are mandatory
Curfew from 2200-0500 UTC
Permits to be obtained through normal channels except for diplomatic flights
Overflight is allowed
Crew do not require PCR tests but must remain in their hotel for the duration of their stay
Comoros
Confirmation of disinfection of the aircraft against COVID-19 must be presented at the arrival of each international commercial flight.
All international passengers must complete a health report which will be made available to them by the health authority.
Any passenger boarding flights to Comoros must carry proof of a negative PCR test result no more than dating three days (72 hours) before the date of flight.
The disembarking of passengers who do not meet these conditions will result in the airline being held responsible and subjected to administrative sanctions as well as the obligation to transport the passenger to their country of origin at its expense.
DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
Airports: FZAA, FZNA, FZQA, FZIC
Night stops are allowed
Cargo, medevac, tech stops, emergency landings, evacuations are permitted
Repatriations with special government approval only (lead time 3-7 working days)
Airports open to domestic and international flights from August 15
Crew overnight stops are now allowed if permission is obtained from the immigration services
Republic of Congo
Airports: FCBB, FCPP, FCOO
Cargo flights, medevac, humanitarian flights, and repatriations are allowed with government approval
No night stops
The handler should be contacted in advance
Expected to resume international flights from August 20
Cote d’Ivoire
Airport: DIAP
International flights resumed from July 1
Djibouti
Airport: HDAM
Opened for international commercial flights from July 18
Night stops allowed only for crew of commercial scheduled flights
For private flights, fuel stops are allowed (no embarkation or disembarkation) but night stops are not
COVID testing is $30 per person
Equatorial Guinea
International flights are authorized at the rate of one weekly flight per airline.
Airlines must request special authorization for any additional flights.
Passengers and crews arriving in Malabo must present a negative
PCR test certificate valid for 48 hours.
Those who do not will undergo a compulsory test on arrival at the airport at their own expense.
National airlines are authorized to run two flight per day.
Eritrea
Airports: HHAS, HHSB, HHMS
Only cargo, medevac, and humanitarian flights are allowed
It’s important to make early requests for permits
Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)
Closed for all international, regional, and domestic flights.
All other essential flights are allowed subject to special approval.
Ethiopia
Airports: HAAB, HADR
Tech stops are permitted with 1-hour ground time
Night stops are permitted for cargo, medevac, and humanitarian flights only with special government approval
All diplomats and passengers on diplomatic flights will also be subject to quarantine at government-designated hotels
Gabon
Airport: FOOL
The Gabon sky is now open to commercial flights
Every inbound or outbound passenger must show a negative COVID19 test issued no more than 5 days before by a WHO-recognized medical institution
Overnights for crew are allowed under the same conditions as passengers
This will stand until September 30
Gambia
Airport: GBYD
Medical, cargo, tech stops and special flights only and they require landing permits before arrival
Ample notice is required when the application is being made
Ghana
Kotoka international airport is open to all flights subject to new travel procedures.
Aircraft operators must inform passengers about the new health measures, click here for the details.
Guinea Conackry
Airport: GUCY
No passengers holding Schengen passports will be allowed entry
Permit requests for private flights should be sent to CAA as before
All arrivals should carry a valid negative test certificate and expect to be tested again on arrival
A crew transit visa is possible on arrival but passengers should carry their visa
The airport’s current operating hours are from 0400z – 2300z
Guinea-Bissau
Osvaldo Vieira International Airport (GGOV) reopened to ECOWAS country flights on July 26 and will reopen to all flights from August 1.
Kenya
Reopen for International flights from August 1
To see the list of quarantine exempt states, click here
Lesotho
All international, regional, and domestic flights are prohibited, only essential cargo flights are allowed
Liberia
Airport: GLRB
Open to all categories of flight since July 16 but health measures and protocols must be followed
Madagascar
International and regional flights remain suspended.
Technical stops for refueling and cargo flights are allowed without disembarkation of crew or passengers.
Malawi
Airports: FWKI, FWCL
Only essential flights like cargo, repatriations, and medevacs are permitted
Tech stops are allowed
Night stops for crew are permitted, however they must have a valid certificate proving they are not COVID-19 positive, all PPE must be worn, and medical screening will take place on arrival and departure
Mali
Airports: GABS, GAGO
Mali airport is open
Any passengers or crew arriving must undergo a COVID-19 test or on arrival will be quarantined for the COVID-19 test (the costs will be borne by the company or the passenger themselves)
Mauritania
Airports: GQNO, GQPP
Permit requests must be sent on time as the CAA also needs to obtain final approval from the Transport Ministry
Tech stops are allowed
Night stops must be requested via diplomatic channels and there won’t be any quarantine as long as the night stop is approved according to the requested dates
Mauritius
Airlines may use Mauritius as alternate aerodrome. However, if aircraft land the following conditions apply:
The pilot-in-command will have to provide a negative COVID-19 certifcate valid for 5 days for all passengers and crew and everyone will remain on board until re-departure
If the aircraft is not able to depart the airline shall undertake to make necessary arrangements to shift all passengers and crew to a hotel at its own cost and also bear all other expenses associated with their stay
During their stay, the airlines together with the passengers and crew shall abide to prevailing sanitary protocols
Mayotte
Airport: FMCZ
All types of flights can operate now as Mayotte is opened since July
Mozambique
Airports: FQMA, FQBR, FQNP, FQNC
Tech and night stops are allowed
Namibia
Airports: FYOA, FYWH
Permits must be applied for through the Ministry of Health for clearance first
Crew members may disembark but shall undergo strict mandatory quarantine for 14 days
Tech stops are allowed at FYWH and FYOA
Crew are only allowed for night stops in FYWH when performing essential flights
The next review date is September 30
Niger
Diori Hamani International Airport (DRRN) and Mano Dayak International Airport (DRZA) are open for international flights
Nigeria
Airports: DNMM, DNAA, DNKN, DNPO
All permits are subject to Ministerial approvals except scheduled cargo
Tech stops, medevac, and essential flights are allowed
In-bound medevac operations are not advised due to a complicated permit process
Closure is extended until October
Réunion Island
Airports: FMEE, FMEP
Passengers arriving from EU member states and Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, UK, Vatican, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Georgia, Japan, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Thailand, Tunisia, and Uruguay may enter
Passengers from other countries will be authorized entry only for specific reasons available on the Ministry of the Interior website
Arriving visitors aged 11 or older must present a negative biological examination of virological screening carried out less than 72 hours prior to their flight.
Rwanda
Airport: HRYR
Open for general aviation, aircraft in states of emergency, cargo flights, technical landings, humanitarian, medevac, repatriation flights, charter and private flights
Open for international flights from August 1
Passenger locator form must be filled out online, click here
Sao Tome and Principe
Airport: FPST
All international flights are allowed
Crew can night stop
A COVID-19 test can be done on arrival, but it is advisable for crew to have a test certificate before flying
Senegal
Airports: GOBD, GOOY
Now open to international flights
Seychelles
Airport: FSIA
Crew can night stop if they pass basic screening
Only passengers from Seychelles and returning permanent residents can enter
Reopen for international flights since August 1
Sierra Leone
Airport: GFLL
Lungi International Airport is open for all scheduled commercial flights from July 22
All passengers have to wear masks during their time at the airport and onboard
All passengers shall produce a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
A COVID-19 test result issued no longer than 72 hours before departure at point of origin is necessary
At the check-in desk at the airport of embarkation, passengers are required to display travelers’ authorization to Sierra Leone, received through the Government of Sierra Leone travel portal
The travel authorization consists of:
A negative PCR COVID-19 test result issued no longer than 72 hours before departure
Pre-departure public health passenger locator form
Proof of payment for COVID-19 testing on arrival, paid through the online platform
All passengers shall be subjected to a mandatory COVID-19 test upon arrival:
Passengers will simultaneously have a PCR test swab and an RDT test on arrival
If the RDT screening is negative, passengers are allowed to depart from the airport and observe public protocols (mandatory proper mask wearing, hand washing, and physical distancing) while awaiting their PCR test result
If the RDT screening is positive, the passenger will be isolated at a hotel in Lungi – this cost will be borne by the passenger
All children under 2 years old shall be exempted from pre-departure and arrival pcr test requirements
Airline crew are exempted from the pre-departure and arrival PCR test requirements
Somalia
Airport: HCMM
Tech stops are allowed only where no embarkation or disembarkation takes place
Approval is required in at least 72 hours prior to operations
Somaliland
Airport: HCMH
Tech stops are allowed only where no embarkation or disembarkation takes place
Government approval is required at least 72 hours prior to operations
South Africa
Special approvals are required for medevacs, cargo, and repatriation flights only
Crew will be confined to approved hotels
Charter flights may enter with crew but passengers are not allowed
All international and regional flights for business and leisure remain cancelled until further notice
Returning South Africans must pay for their return flight and isolate for 21 days on arrival
St. Helena / Ascencion
Airport: FHSH
No flights allowed
Only nationals, residents and those with special approval may enter
Those who enter must undergo 14-day quarantine
Tanzania
Airport: HTDA, HTZA, HTKJ
The restrictions for commercial passenger flights has been lifted
Togo
Lome Gnassingbe Eyadema International Airport is open to all flights subject to new travel procedures
Aircraft operators must inform passengers (arriving and departing) about the health measures (click here)
Uganda
Uganda resumed international flights to Entebbe International Airport (HUEN) on October 1.
Both arriving passengers and crew are required to follow a range of directives to ensure the containment of COVID-19.
Zambia
Airports: FLKK, FLHN, FLMF, FLND
All flights are allowed, this will be reviewed on September 26
Zimbabwe
Airports: FVFA, FVRG, FVJN
Night stops and tech stops are not allowed
The next review date will be on August 31
While the Information is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the Information. The Information may change without notice and UAS is not in any way liable for the accuracy of any information printed and stored or in any way interpreted and used by a user.
For support with your flight operations in Africa, contact UAS