Off Topic--An American Transiting Through Europe

[RobertS26]

Hello Everyone,

Please excuse the off topic nature of my post but I need accurate information as soon as possible and I am sure someone on this Forum knows the correct answer. I am getting ready to travel from the United States to Zimbabwe. I know there are those who think this is dangerous and selfish. But please understand that this trip is necessary.

Getting there is relatively easy. I can fly on Ethiopian Airlines nonstop from Chicago to Addis Ababa where I connect for a nonstop flight to Victoria Falls. I have checked with the Ethiopian government, and I am allowed to transit through Bole international airport in Addis Ababa without a recent Covid-19 test, visa, or a yellow fever immunization as long as I stay on the secure side of the airport.

Getting back to the United States presents a problem. The first leg is Victoria Falls to Addis Ababa which is not concern. But the second leg requires that I fly Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa to Dublin, Ireland, where I must change planes before flying to Chicago. I am worried that an American without a current Covid-19 test will not be allowed to transit through Dublin's airport.

Does anyone know the current situation? Theoretically, I will be transiting through Dublin around November 20th.

Again, this trip is necessary. It is not a vacation. As such, I am hoping that this thread does not devolve into a debate about whether I should be making the trip or not during a worldwide pandemic. I am simply looking for information regarding the ability for an American citizen to transit through Dublin airport without a current Covid-19 test (it is unlikely that I can get a test done in Victoria Falls right before I leave, and even if I could, it would two days old when I hit Dublin). Any knowledgeable responses would be greatly appreciated.

Private messages are fine if you do not want to post on this thread. Thank you in advance.

Robert

 

[JabbaPapa]

According to this site -- https://www.traveloffpath.com/trans...hed out to,their onward / final destination.” -- the answer is yes :

Dublin Airport states on their covid information page that the 14-day quarantine rule and other rules set out by the HSE do not apply for arriving passengers if they are briefly stopping over at the airport on their way to another country.

We also reached out to their customer service team who answered: “Yes, passengers from outside the EU can still transit through Dublin Airport, but before they travel they should check the guidance in place for their onward / final destination.”

 

[RolfMagener]

Hi Robert, As far as I know nationality is not an issue, it is the covid situation in the area from which you are traveling from which matters, so you need to check what they restrictions are entering Ireland from Zambia and Ethiopia.

 

[Levi]

Hi Robert
My partner recently (last week) flew to Australia from Dublin airport. He had to have a Covid test beforehand but this was a condition imposed by his airline (Etihad), not by the airport.
Not sure how much this might help but if you look at information about Dublin airport online you might get some further clarification.

 

[Kathar1na]

In addition to the information already provided by @JabbaPapa: There is actually next to nothing on Dublin airport’s Covid-19 information page about the 14-day quarantine rule and whether or how it applies to passengers in transit from African countries to the USA when these countries are not on Ireland's Green List. At least I couldn’t find anything.

The only information of relevance that I could find, after clicking around for a while, was the official Irish government information that states that such passengers do not have to complete the Passenger Locator Form which would indicate that these passengers also don't have to quarantine. Quote: [Overseas] passengers leaving [Ireland] from their [...] airport of arrival without otherwise exiting the [...] airport are exempt from having to complete the form.

And since it refers to not leaving the airport I'd guess that such passengers may leave the international transit zone and are allowed to move around the airport during the hours between arrival and departure.