French police block passengers as new Covid rules kick in

French border police turned away some passengers bound for non-EU destinations Monday as new rules came into force banning flights to and from countries outside the bloc. PM Jean Castex announced the measure Friday as part of new efforts to contain Covid-19 infections and avoid another nationwide lockdown. Travellers must also present proof of a recent negative Covid test. Only urgent reasons for travel are accepted and border police require written proof before allowing passengers to board. Valid reasons for "urgent" travel include documented serious health conditions, the needs of dependents, professional emergencies or passengers' returning to their country of residence. By curbing international travel, the government hopes to get a better grip on the circulation of the coronavirus and its recent variants, which have been spreading at a fearsome pace. "The idea is to limit the outbound-inbound loops between France and abroad," said Julien Gentile, head of the border police for the Roissy and Le Bourget airports. Passengers must first show the required documentation at airline counters during check-in, but some carriers have already fallen foul of the authorities for failing to stop passengers without a Covid test. "If airlines fail to meet the requirement in terms of health checks, there could be sanctions," a transport ministry spokesman said.<br/>