The new practice by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aimed at preventing the entry of the Ebola virus into the country will also cover flights from Turkey to the US. In accordance with the regulation that will come into effect on November 4, 2026, passengers traveling to the US will be required to declare in writing or electronically before boarding that they have not been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo within the last 21 days.
According to Airport Haber, the new requirement will apply to all airlines, charter operators, and private aviation entities operating international flights to the US. In this context, the new declaration requirement will be added to passenger acceptance and check-in processes for Turkish Airlines' US flights departing from Istanbul.
THY'S US ROUTES ARE ALSO INCLUDED
Destinations where THY operates direct flights in the US include New York, Newark, Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. Passengers traveling on these routes will be required to fulfill the declaration obligation before their flight.
According to the regulation, airlines will collect the declarations they receive from passengers in printed or digital format and store them for at least 42 days. Passengers who do not complete the declaration will not be accepted for US flights unless they have a special exemption.
It is stated that those who have been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo within the last 21 days will not be able to travel to the US, even if they have only transited through an airport in that country. The 21-day period is based on the longest known incubation period of the Ebola disease.
There is also a notable uncertainty regarding how the practice will be implemented for flight crews. OPSGROUP, which monitors international aviation operations, reported that in a response received from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), it was stated that the declaration requirement also covers crew members. However, since the regulation published by the CDC only refers to passengers, it is important to follow internal operational announcements of the companies.
News Source: 12punto
