Travel News

(Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Embassy in Moscow said it would slash visa and consular services following a Russian ban on hiring local staff in the latest fallout from tensions between the former Cold War rivals.

The Russian hiring restriction will force a 75% cut in the consular work force, the embassy said in a website statement, and services will be restricted to a minimum starting May 12.

Russia announced the new limits on April 16 as part of series of retaliatory moves against the U.S. decision to expel 10 Russian diplomats and impose new sanctions for Moscow’s alleged role in the SolarWinds cyberattack and meddling in the U.S. election last year. The Kremlin denies those charges.

The moves are the latest in a widening diplomatic battle between Russia and the West. Several east European nations expelled Russian envoys after the Czech Republic accused Moscow’s secret services of responsibility for a deadly 2014 blast. Russia responded by ousting diplomats from those countries.

The Kremlin is planning to expand the ban on local employees for embassies to a series of what it calls “unfriendly” countries, but hasn’t released that list yet. Russia doesn’t used local employees at its diplomatic posts, but many foreign embassies rely on them for visa issuance and other services.

By Yunus Yusuf

Air Peace made history as the first airline to land its aircraft at the Anambra State International Passenger and Cargo Airport.

Its Media Executive Officer, Mr Stanley Olisa said in a statement in Lagos on Friday that Air Peace has added another first to its kitty.

Olisa said that the foremost airline deployed two of its aircraft- an Embraer 145 and a Boeing 737- for the demonstration flights to unveil the airport site in the Umuleri axis of the state.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for approving and enabling the project.

Onyema noted that the airport was one of the fastest airports to be approved even for a test flight.

“What we have here is the widest runway ever and could land a Boeing 777 and an Airbus 380.

“This is the first time an airport would be doing a test run with a Boeing 737. It used to be very small planes before,” he said.

The aviator said the airport would generate numerous jobs for Nigerians and significantly impact Nigeria’s economy.

The chairman said that the new Anambra Airport was an ambitious project initiated by Gov. Willie Obiano which has recorded impressive execution in 15 months.

NAN

By Chinelo Obogo,

The astronomical rise in air fares for domestic travel has become a very serious cause for concern for passengers. Presently, all the domestic airlines have doubled their fares on most of the routes across the country. For instance, one-way trip to Abuja which used to cost a minimum of N25,000 for economy seats or even less, depending on the time the ticket is purchased, now costs as high as N50,000 and in some cases, N60,000 for the same class of tickets.

Captain Musa Nuhu, who is the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the regulatory agency, says, in this interview, that the reason for the hike is that demand is higher than supply and also, the scarcity of foreign exchange (forex) has made it impossible for airlines to operate their fleet at full capacity.

Hike fares, forex scarcity

>span class="s2">For the fares, it has to do with the economics of demand and supply. Don’t forget because of this forex difficulties, airlines are not operating their fleet at full capacity. That also has impact. If one of the airlines is out of the system, you try to fill that gap. That will put extra demands on the other routes.

Earlier, you mentioned the issue of not using the right fleet. Yes, but the trend I see people going for Embraer, CRJ, ATR. So, there is a paradigm shift. People are beginning to realise you can’t use Boeing 737 aircraft for short flights. I can see Air Peace had got two E-195 and he said on the long term, he is going to replace all its B737. United Nigeria is using Embraer 145.Green Africa is using ATR 42, 72.

>span class="s2">Airlines springing up

How many passengers travelled domestically before COVID-19? What percentage of Nigeria is that? If it is six or five per cent of the Nigerian population, that tells you that Nigeria is under-travelled. There is a huge market there. Nigerian market is not mature enough. There is a huge opportunity there for the Nigerian market to grow. That is why you see that many airlines are coming up in the country. We have Green Africa Airways, NG Eagle and so many other airlines coming up. I am sure that Green Africa Airways, NG Eagle are the next to fly. The market is there. It is economics.

Unfortunately, because of the condition of the roads, a lot of people prefer flying by air. So, the demand is growing and that is why you see many airlines coming up. I can tell you that out of the nine million that are said to be travelling within Nigeria, only probably one million people are flying regularly. So, maybe only one or two million people travel in Nigeria, in a population of 200 million. It is still a virgin market. If we uphold our policies and strategies, we will make a friendly-environment in the industry and it will grow. That is why in the Ministry and with aviation roadmap, they want to do things like aircraft leasing company, MROs which are some of the things that make maintenance cost. You know airlines go to Europe for maintenance, but when we have am MRO, it creates employment and you just rolled in your aircraft and do your maintenance in there in Naira.

Azman Air

As a regulatory body, we take the issue of safety seriously.  However, before we take action, we must have concrete evidence. We see what is happening and we do a risk based analysis and we decide to take action. This is because grounding an airline has serious repercussions. Both on the availability of service to the public and also to the finances and reputation of the airline.  I don’t think we were slow.

When we reached a point that we were not happy, we called a Zoom meeting. I could have taken the decision on my own, but I am a human being and I know I have my shortcomings. So, I called my entire team. We had a Zoom meeting for about four to five hours before we came to that decision to suspend their operations. I want to say here clearly that it is not a punitive measure. It is our responsibility and duty to guide and work with the operators and assist them to ensure that they are in compliance with our regulations.

Our team met with Azman’s team and we told them what the issues were. We had written them before that and they responded.  We had a virtual meeting and they went through each of the issues one by one. I must tell you the response we had from Azman has been very encouraging and very positive. They are taking all what we have explained to them. Now they understand it is even better for them to improve their business model. I have seen a shift and I can guarantee you that by the time Azman complies with all what we want, the public will see a different airline.

We are not here to kill anybody or to ruin any airline, but to guide them to operate safely, efficiently and to provide the necessary services to the travelling public. I just received a very impressive response from them concerning what they have done. We are going to start serious training for their people next week.

Where we find gaps, they have already started employing people and they are really working and cooperating. Honestly, I am very happy and feel very relieved at their response to us.

I don’t know what happened. I wasn’t there when the airline was approved. I came and met them, but I think it is my responsibility as the DG, when I see there is a mistake, I have to rectify it, which is exactly what we are working at, and trying to rectify whatever might have been done wrong in the past.

Also, NCAA is an organisation too in transition. Honestly, this Azman incident told us a lot about ourselves, areas that we might have found some deficiencies and we are trying to fill it and make some changes to make the organisation much more effective and efficient. We have had issues with some airlines, they came and we sat down them. We discussed with them and we resolved it.

Unfortunately, in this particular case when somebody goes to the public and impugns the credibility of an organisation, we needed to defend our actions. What I want you to understand is that it is not we as a person and not even the DG, it’s not NCAA, but Nigeria’s reputation that is being damaged internationally. If NCAA is somehow perceived as a corrupt organisation, believe me that all the operators and aviation businesses in Nigeria will find it difficult going to charter or lease aircraft. It makes the whole business much more difficult for us. It damages the industry, which is why we had to come out and explain to the world what happened.

We haven’t had any airline accident in the last five years and there will not be any during my tenure. We want to bring it out to make the system much safer. When you have these incidents, you use your equipment much more, instead of grounding the airlines because they have incidents, they do more flights and system becomes more efficient, effective to the benefits of the travelling public.

Air Peace incident

We work hand in hand with the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB). When there is an incident, AIB-N goes to investigate. If it is a serious incident or accident, they deal with it. If it is not a serious incident, they hand it over to NCAA to inspect it, but when they do their investigation and they are okay, they hand it over to NCAA to work with the airline to ensure that the aircraft is put back to an airworthy condition before it can fly. AIB doesn’t do that. That is our responsibility. They were happy. They were working with it and they handed it over to us.

Legacy

As regards the promotion of general aviation policy, we have the Civil Aviation Act before the National Assembly. Hopefully, it will be passed into law. So, once that is done and we know what the new NCAA mandate is, we will do a stakeholders’ meeting for review of our regulations. I think we need to de-clutter and unbundle our regulations so that the requirements from general aviation is different from the requirements of the airlines. They are not the same risk. General Aviation could be chartered flights, agric spraying, small tourism aircraft, ambulance and others.

There are so many areas of general aviation, but right now, regulations are bundled. Somebody flying corporate and small plane carrying 10 people and you are asking for the same requirements from a Boeing 777 going to Dubai. It doesn’t make sense. So, when we unbundle those regulations, we believe it is going to stimulate the general aviation part of the industry.

…as Air Peace makes first flight to airport 

By Lawani Mikairu 

Test flights commenced Friday at Anambra State International Cargo Airport, Umueri . The newly built airport received three demonstration flights as Anambra indigenes, guests and aviation community who were present at the airport cheered. The airport, which was constructed in record time of 15 months is expecting both cargo and passenger traffic in the next couple of months. 

The facility, awaiting commercial services, already has the runway, apron, control tower, fire infrastructure, among other critical infrastructure in place, except for the terminal that is near completion. Speaking at the ceremony to welcome the flights, Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, said the multi-billion naira project was strategic for the economy of Anambra, the South East region, and of Nigeria at large.

He said the airport project is the most audacious and “revolutionary” project ever embarked on by his administration and nearly completed in a 15-month record time. Governor Obiano said :   “We have rose above the global gloom and doom (of coronavirus pandemic)to bring this dream to reality. Anambra did not borrow a kobo to build this airport. We began this administration with the plan to become the first choice in investment destination and trade hub”.

“This airport fulfills that dream today, because it is difficult to create an international economic corridor without an airport. Very soon, our cargo and passenger services, both local and international, will make us one of the busiest airports in the country.” 

Meanwhile, Air Peace  has become the first airline to make flight to the new Anambra State airport.  At about 2:40p.m. yesterday, an Air Peace Boeing 737 aircraft made the inaugural landing, throwing the waiting audience into a frenzy. About 15 minutes later, another Air Peace Embraer 145 aircraft touched down, to a traditional water salute reception. 

As the audience were departing, a private jet also landed at the airport. In his remarks, Chairman of Air Peace airline, Allen Onyema, said the landmark facility has the longest runway in the country, spanning 3.7km, with the capacity to receive the biggest air planes in the world. He also thanked the Federal Government for the airport’s approvals, describing it as one of the fastest airports to get a test-flight approval. 

Onyema said: “What we have here is the widest runway ever and could land a Boeing 777 and an Airbus 380. This is the first time an airport would be doing a test-run with a Boeing 737. It used to be very small planes before. I decided to bring in two planes to show the quality of airport here. I can tell you that it is a game-changer,” he added. 

Anambra State Commissioner for Works and Head of the project delivery team, Marcel Ifejiofor while speaking at the occasion said all the outstanding facilities had been paid for, including the Instrument Landing System (ILS)

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/20...

(Bloomberg) -- President Joe Biden banned most travel to the U.S. from India beginning Tuesday as the country struggles to combat the worst surge of coronavirus cases in the world. Passengers on airplanes, buses and other forms mass transportation in the U.S. will have to keep wearing masks.

New York City restaurants can expand their indoor dining capacity to 75% on May 7. Mayor Bill de Blasio said that 80,000 city employees are expected to return to their offices May 3, providing an “important indicator” to the private sector to follow suit. Oregon reimposed tighter restrictions on most of the state, as Connecticut eased curbs on bars and restaurants.

Los Angeles will close the mass vaccination site at Dodgers Stadium by the end of May as demand for shots falls across the region. Disneyland reopened after 13 months, though only to California residents for now.

Key Developments

• Global Tracker: Cases top 150.8 million; deaths exceed 3.17 million
• Vaccine Tracker: More than 1.3 billion doses have been given
• Is Europe’s vaccine nightmare coming to an end?
• Covid shots come in bulk. The world needs single servings
• How India’s vaccine drive crumbled and left a country in chaos
• What are vaccine passports and how would they work?: QuickTake

Subscribe to a daily update on the virus from Bloomberg’s Prognosis team here. Click CVID on the terminal for global data on cases and deaths.

Brazil Reaches 1 Million Daily Doses (5:32 p.m. NY)

Brazil reached a self-imposed daily Covid-19 vaccination goal, but a shortage of shots poses a risk to the immunization plan going forward.

The seven-day moving average of shots given rose to 1 million for the first time since applications started in mid-January, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. A total of 47,111,974 million vaccines have now been administered in Brazil, mostly of China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. shot. That’s enough to cover almost 15% of the population with one dose and fully inoculate 7.4%.

Oregon Clamps Down (5:08 p.m. NY)

Governor Kate Brown put 15 of Oregon’s counties, about 80% of the population, under more severe restrictions as a new viral surge sweeps through a partially vaccinated population. The Democratic governor said hospitalizations have doubled in the last week.

The restrictions prohibit indoor dining, put limits on religious gatherings and sharply curb capacity at gyms, movie theaters and other public venues.

Brown, under heavy criticism by businesses and opponents, said it was “not a decision we take lightly.” But, she said, “As your governor, I chose to save lives.”

Vaccinated Floridians Can Drop Masks Indoors (4:40 p.m. NY)

Florida’s surgeon general issued guidance saying that fully vaccinated people “should no longer be advised to wear face coverings or avoid social and recreational gatherings” except in undefined “limited circumstances.” The guidance appeared to allow vaccinated Floridians to drop mask wearing indoors. Earlier this week the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said fully vaccinated people were freer to not wear masks outdoors.

Surgeon General Scott Rivkees noted the “tremendous steps” taken to vaccinate Floridians and that vaccines “dramatically diminish hospitalizations and deaths” from Covid-19 and curb its spread.

Mexico Seeks More Doses From U.S. (4:22 p.m. NY)

Mexico’s president said on Friday that he’s seeking another 5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses from the U.S., his latest appeal to countries including Russia and China to help the nation speed up its vaccination pace.

The U.S. already lent Mexico over 2.7 million vaccines in March and April, and declined to comment about whether it plans to share more shots with its southern neighbor.

TSA Extends Mask Requirement (3:42 p.m. NY)

Passengers on airplanes, buses and other forms mass transportation in the U.S. will have to keep wearing masks to guard against the spread of Covid-19 as federal officials extended a mandate that was set to expire within days through the busy summer travel season.

The Transportation Security Administration on Friday announced it was extending the mandate through Sept. 13. The move is in step with the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which still advises face coverings to limit the spread of coronavirus in crowded indoor spaces, even for those who have been vaccinated.

Connecticut Eases Restrictions (3:27 p.m. NY)

Governor Ned Lamont signed an order easing restrictions at bars and restaurants in Connecticut. The move means these outlets will be able to serve alcohol outdoors without food orders starting Saturday, and lifting the same limit for indoors on May 19.

Biden Bans Travel From India (2:28 p.m. NY)

President Joe Biden banned most travel to the U.S. from India beginning Tuesday as the country struggles to combat the worst surge of coronavirus cases in the world, the White House said.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the travel ban, which won’t apply to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

“The policy will be implemented in light of extraordinarily high Covid-19 caseloads and multiple variants circulating in the India,” her statement said.

India recorded 387,000 new infections on Thursday, a record high, and nearly 3,500 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

NYC Indoor Dining Moves to 75% (1:07 p.m. NY)

New York City restaurants can expand their indoor dining capacity to 75% on May 7, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday. The announcement aligns New York City with the rest of the state, Cuomo said in a news release.

Hair salons, barber shops and other personal care services also can open at 75% capacity on May 7, and gyms and fitness centers in the city can open at 50% capacity on May 15, Cuomo said. The easing of restrictions comes as new cases continue to fall in the state.

NYC Sees Example in Worker Return (1 p.m. NY)

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that 80,000 city employees are expected to return to their offices May 3, providing an “important indicator” to the private sector to follow suit after the pandemic kept millions of people at home.

“People need to come back because we have work to do,” de Blasio said Friday on a WNYC radio interview.

Less than 16% of workers in the New York metropolitan area were back at their desks as of April 30, according to data from Kastle Systems.

Variants a Risk After One Pfizer Shot (12:42 p.m. NY)

People who haven’t fought off Covid-19 before are still vulnerable to infection from variants after getting the first dose of Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE’s vaccine, underscoring the need for fast and full inoculation regimens, according to a U.K. study published Friday.

Among those who previously had mild or asymptomatic cases of Covid, the protection was “significantly enhanced” after a single dose against the variants first seen in the U.K. and South Africa, researchers said in the study, published Friday in the journal Science.

Disneyland Reopens (12:35 p.m. NY)

Walt Disney Co.’s Disneyland is opening its gates after being closed for 13 months due to the pandemic.

The theme park in Anaheim, along with the nearby Disney California Adventure, will initially be opened only to California residents with capacity limits and social distancing measures in place. Disney has laid off 32,000 employees over the past year, most of them in the theme-park unit. The company plans bring back more than 10,000 furloughed employees for the reopening.

The theme park is sold out for weekends through May, an indication of pent-up demand for leisure activities as the pandemic eases.

U.S. Supports Taiwan at WHO Event (11:43 a.m. NY)

The U.S. said Taiwan deserves to be heard at a key World Health Organization event next month due to its contributions to global health, a call likely to anger officials in Beijing who have blocked the island’s participation in recent years.

“Taiwan’s outstanding control of Covid-19 and its donations of PPE demonstrate its strong contribution to global health,” State Department spokesman Ned Price tweeted on Friday, referring to personal protective equipment. “Taiwan has some of the world’s leading experts in combating this disease, and we need to hear from Taiwan at the World Health Assembly.”

India Strain Suspected in Austria (11:18 a.m. NY)

A woman who recently returned to Austria from India may be infected with the Indian variant of the coronavirus, according to preliminary tests in the province of Salzburg. The suspicion has yet to be confirmed by genome sequencing, according to the province’s health secretary Petra Juhasz. It would be the first time the variant has been detected in Austria.

Dodgers Stadium to Stop Shots (10:03 a.m. NY)

Los Angeles will close the mass vaccination site at Dodgers Stadium by the end of May as demand for shots falls across the region. Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a statement doses will be shifted across the city, expanding no-appointment vaccinations and mobile clinics.

The stadium is one of the largest vaccination sites in the U.S. The closure also comes as L.A. County has met the yellow tier’s criteria for one week and could be moved into the less restrictive tier in the middle of next week, health officials said. That would allow local authorities to increase capacity in more sectors and for bars to provide indoor services at 25% capacity.

Biden’s ‘Tough Call’ on Troops (7:25 a.m NY)

President Joe Biden said in an NBC News interview that it will be a “tough call” on whether to order U.S. troops to get vaccinated for Covid-19.

“It is a tough call whether they should require that for the military because they are in such close proximity with other military personnel,” Biden said.

Shot Approval Sought for Ages 12-15 (7:05 p.m. HK)

BioNTech and Pfizer submitted a request to expand conditional marketing authorization of their vaccine in the EU to 12-15 year-olds.

More Flights Out of India (5:01 p.m. HK)

International and domestic airlines are adding flights out of India to bring home residents and citizens as the nation’s coronavirus outbreak goes from bad to worse. Air India Ltd. plans to increase its weekly frequency of flights to the U.S. to 32 starting May 11, up from the current 29.

Korean Air Lines Co. and Asiana Airlines Inc. meanwhile are planning to charter flights from India to help South Koreans there wanting to return.

Call for New Probe Into Covid Origin (4 p.m. HK)

The World Health Organization should convene another investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic that looks beyond animal sources, a group of scientists said in an open letter. The signatories proposed specific steps on what any new probe should take into account.

Astra to Seek U.S. Clearance (3:09 p.m. HK)

AstraZeneca Plc confirmed it will apply for U.S. emergency authorization of its Covid-19 vaccine in the first half of 2021 after it missed an original target this month that raised questions over whether the company would pursue the clearance at all.

France Finds India Variant Cases (2:03 p.m. HK)

The first three cases of the coronavirus variant first detected in India have been identified in metropolitan France, the health ministry said late on Thursday in a statement. All three individuals returned from India and tested positive this month.

By Chinedu Eze

Ethiopian Airlines said it is fully prepared to resume operations to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, as soon the federal government gives the go ahead for international flights into the airport.

This assurance was given by the airlines' Manager, Senait Ataklet, who led the airlines' team on a courtesy visit to the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji in Abuja.

Ataklet also disclosed that the airline was equally planning to introduce cargo operation to the airport to cater for the needs of its South Eastern passengers this time around.

She described the Enugu route as an important one that the airline would not want to undermine, stating that Ethiopian Airlines would want to be the first to land in Akanu Ibiam International Airport when it is eventually reopened for international flights operations.

The Manager who solicited for supports from the committee further disclosed that Ethiopian Airlines was ready and willing to render assistance to federal government in setting up national carrier if given the opportunity, stressing that the airline has attained robust experience and capabilities in airline management and aircraft maintenance, which would be put at the disposal of the proposed new national carrier.

Nnaji, while thanking his visitors for coming, stressed that the duty of the legislature is to make appropriate legislation and properly oversight the industry for the benefits of the flying public and airlines.

He assured the team that his committee was determined to ensure that the industry was safe for flight operations through its oversight responsibility.

The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has hinted that the three international airports in Kano, Enugu and Port Harcourt would soon resume flight service to international airlines and the airlines have expressed their readiness to start operation, waiting for the go-ahead from government.

It is expected that Nigeria would give Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) to signal resumption of operations from these airports.

Maiden flight on Friday landed at the newly constructed Anambra International Cargo Airport, Umueri, done by the Anambra State Government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two aircraft; Boeing 737 mark N5,-BUJ, and Embraer 145 both owned by Air Peace Airline landed by 2.26 pm and 2.46 pm respectively.

Gov. Willie Obiano of the state, who addressed excited Anambra people at the airport, said the state did not borrow a Kobo to construct the airport.

He said that the project began in December 2020, and the landing and other facilities were achieved within 15 months.

“We began this project in January 2020 when COVID-19 was adversely affecting economies of every state, nation, and the world over.

“We were able to start and by the grace of God we are here to witness this historic event,” he said.

Obiano who listed facilities already completed said the airport has the best and longest runway, control tower, and lightning system in Africa.

Mr Allen Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, Air Peace Airline, said he was overwhelmed at the standard of the project.

Air Peace making history as 1st airline to land in Anambra Airport. Photo/NAN

“This Anambra airport is about the best in Africa in terms of the facilities we have here,” he said.

Chief Neville Uchendu, a contractor handling some construction works in the state, said the quality of work done at the airport would stand the test of time.

Mr Lawrence Anikpe, Senior Special Adviser to Obiano on Internally Generated Revenue, said the time the governor started the project was a sign that the state was blessed with a prudent manager.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Disneyland swung open its gates to cheering visitors donning sequined Minnie Mouse ears and snapping selfies Friday, marking a dramatic turnaround in a state so overwhelmed with coronavirus cases just four months ago that patients were being treated in outdoor tents.

California's world-famous theme park, which reopened after an unprecedented 13-month closure, is admitting only state residents and operating under a limited capacity for now.

Once inside, guests decked in Disney gear waved excitedly at employees tidying up the park's hallmark Main Street, which was lined with hand sanitizing stations and signs reminding people to wear face coverings.

After spending the year mostly teaching her third-grade class from a tent in her backyard, Libby Birmingham was thrilled to be there. The 38-year-old, who attended the park regularly before the pandemic with an annual pass, took the day off work to make the trip down from Pasadena with friends.

“Disneyland is like my happiest place, to be totally honest,” she said. “It’s one of those places that I can always enjoy, and it lets me be the kid — not always be in charge of the kids.”

The reopening highlights a big shift for the nation's most populous state from just months ago when COVID-19 cases were surging, hospitals were running out of ICU beds, and hundreds of people died from the virus each day.

Now, California boasts the country’s lowest rate of confirmed coronavirus infections and more than half of the population eligible for vaccination has received at least one dose. Children have been returning to in-person classes, shops and restaurants are expanding business, and Gov. Gavin Newsom set June 15 as a target date to further reopen the economy, albeit with some health-related restrictions.

“It has such a symbolic nature to really quantifying that we’re finally rolling out of COVID,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of state tourism promoter Visit California.

Theme parks were among the last California businesses allowed to reopen, in contrast to states with fewer restrictions such as Florida, where Disney World’s Magic Kingdom resort has been up and running, though at lower-than-usual capacity, since July. Another major U.S. amusement park, Ohio’s Cedar Point, opened last summer and will do so again for the upcoming season — only this time, it won’t require masks on rides.

At Disneyland, visitors must wear masks and can remove them to eat only in designated areas. Hugs and handshakes with characters are off limits, and parades and fireworks shows have been shelved to limit crowding.

On Friday, an updated Snow White ride drew throngs of visitors who were methodically spaced out in a winding outdoor line to prevent congestion indoors. Other areas of the park had fewer people. In a section devoted to Star Wars, there was ample space for children to run freely, and visitors waved from a distance to Rey, who flashed a smile and waved from a platform overlooking the park.

Outside a popular boat ride, Allison Sanger and her 4-year-old daughter, Emily, stopped by a cordoned-off patio to chat with a parasol-twirling Mary Poppins and Bert. The 28-year-old said she was glad her daughter could get close enough to see the characters and snap photos even with the new rules.

“We honestly have so many memories here,” she said. “We missed our memories and our magic.”

There was even a marriage proposal.

Zach Bolger, 35, said he met his girlfriend, Mackenzie Brown, 26, some three years ago at Disneyland trading collectible pins. The couple returned to the park Friday, and Bolger pulled out a ring box near Snow White’s wishing well. Brown cried tears of joy.

While California continues to “strongly discourage” anyone from visiting the state as tourists, the travel industry is banking on pent-up demand from its own nearly 40 million residents for a comeback. An advertising campaign encourages Californians to travel within the state, mirroring a pitch made after 9-11 .

In a state with so many people shut in for so long, even in-state tourism could be a huge boost. Disney’s California parks have long had a loyal local fan base while its Florida locations rely more heavily on international tourists, said Carissa Baker, assistant professor of theme park and attraction management at University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

Disneyland is a major economic engine in California, drawing nearly 19 million in attendance the year before the coronavirus struck, according to the Themed Entertainment Association. It and other such attractions were shuttered in March 2020 as Newsom imposed the nation’s first statewide shutdown order.

For now, the park and neighbouring Disney California Adventure are restricted to operating at 25% capacity under state health rules. Disney is only taking reservations from state residents, though California also allows fully vaccinated out-of-state visitors to attend theme parks.

The reopening was also welcomed by park employees eager to get back to work and owners of hotels and shops in the surrounding city of Anaheim. The city's convention centre saw more than 300 cancellations since the pandemic and so far has rebooked a quarter of them, said Jay Burress, president of Visit Anaheim.

At an early morning flag ceremony, Disney chief executive Bob Chapek thanked the park's employees, many who greeted each other with fist-bumps and bright-eyes, though their smiles were concealed by constellation face masks. He asked them to “bring the magic back” for visitors who were kept away during the 412-day closure.

“We’re not just another theme park," Chapek said. "We’re something special, and we’re something special because of all of you, because you bring magic to the world.”

___

Associated Press photographer Jae C. Hong and writers John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, and Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida, contributed to this report.

Amy Taxin, The Associated Press

By Ejike Ejike, Abuja

The Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 has banned incoming flights from Brazil, India and Turkey, noting that anyone who has been in these three countries within 14 days of their intended arrival date in Nigeria will be banned from entering the country.

The chairman, PSC on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said this in a statement signed by him and made available to journalists on Sunday.

According to him, “The following measures shall apply to airlines and passengers who fail to comply with I and II(a) above: i Airlines shall mandatorily pay a penalty of $3,500 (Three Thousand Five Hundred dollars) for each defaulting passenger. ii. Non-Nigerians will be denied entry and returned to the country of embarkation at cost to the Airline.

“Nigerians and those with permanent resident permit shall undergo seven days of mandatory quarantine in a Government approved facility at the point-of-entry city and at cost to the passenger. The following condition shall apply to such passengers: i. Within 24 hours of arrival shall take a COVID-19 PCR test ii. If positive, the passenger shall be admitted within a government-approved treatment centre, in line with National treatment protocols. iii. If Negative, the Passenger shall continue to remain in quarantine and made to undergo a repeat PCR test on day seven of their quarantine.

“Passenger(s) arriving in Nigeria from other destinations. Must observe a seven day self-isolation at their final destination. Carry out a COVID-19 PCR test on day 7 at selected laboratory. Shall be monitored for compliance to isolation protocol by appropriate authorities,” he outlined.

The PSC chairman, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), said the latest regulation, however, does not apply to passengers who transited through these countries.

He also said passengers who provide false or misleading contact information would be liable to prosecution.

“Person who willfully disregard or refuse to comply with directions of Port-Health staff, security agencies or evade quarantine shall be prosecuted in accordance with the law,” he added.

The PSC chairman said that state governments were required to ensure that all returning travelers from all countries were monitored to ensure adherence to the mandatory seven-day self-isolation period and the repeat COVID-19 PCR test on the seventh day after arrival.

He stated that this travel advisory shall come into effect from May 4, 2021.

Mustapha noted that the guidelines were subject to review after an initial period of four weeks.

According to him, “over the last few weeks we have been monitoring with concern, the increasing trend of COVID-19 cases in several countries, with additional focus on countries with high incidence, fatality rate and widespread prevalence of variants of concern.”

By Nikos Chrysoloras

The European Commission proposed easing restrictions on tourism and leisure travel for those who have been fully inoculated, adding to signs of a gradual return to normalcy as vaccinations gather pace.

The European Union’s executive arm “proposes to allow entry to the EU for non-essential reasons not only for all persons coming from countries with a good epidemiological situation but also all people who have received the last recommended dose of an EU-authorized vaccine,” according to a statement on Monday. “This could be extended to vaccines having completed the WHO emergency use listing process,” the Commission said.

The new rules would replace a current blanket ban for non-essential travel to the EU for residents of all but a handful of countries. The bloc is working on the introduction of a vaccine passport system that will ease travel for those inoculated or can prove that they have recently recovered from the coronavirus and are thus considered immune.