An Avianca Airbus A320neo, the airline whose US-bound passengers must carry the new health form. (Photo: Rio Times library)

COLOMBIA · AIRLINES

Colombian airline Avianca tells every passenger flying to the United States from Tuesday 3 November 2026 to carry a signed health declaration. Anyone without the Avianca Ebola form will not be allowed to board.

The form says the traveler was not in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for 21 days, as the US health agency ordered. Our report on the Congo outbreak behind the order explains why.

What the Avianca Ebola Form Requires

Avianca says passengers on every flight to the United States, including those connecting there, must show a completed and signed declaration at the gate. The airline advises filling it in before leaving for the airport, as a digital proof or a signed printed form.

The declaration says the traveler was not in DR Congo during the 21 days before boarding. Avianca says passengers without it will not be allowed on the aircraft.

Who Has to Sign the Avianca Ebola Form

The order from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the federal health agency, covers passengers and crew alike, US citizens included. It excuses only people with a US government exemption, such as emergency medical evacuations.

Each traveler needs a declaration of their own, but a parent or another authorized adult may sign for a child under 18. A stop at any Congolese airport counts as being in DR Congo, even if the person never left the plane.

An Avianca passenger jet on approach to land. (Photo: Rio Times library)

When the Rule Starts and How Long It Lasts

The order takes effect at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday 3 November 2026, the same clock time as in Colombia. It covers every flight that leaves at or after that minute, so an earlier departure is not affected.

Brian Christine, the US Assistant Secretary for Health, signed the amended order on Wednesday 28 October 2026. It runs until Friday 18 December 2026 unless the CDC ends or changes it sooner.

Why the United States Is Asking

As of 18 October 2026, DR Congo reports 9,455 confirmed cases and 4,561 deaths across eight provinces, the order says. The CDC calls it the largest known outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, a rare Ebola species with no widely approved vaccine.

Ebola can take up to 21 days to show symptoms, so an infected traveler can board a plane while looking well. The CDC decided that airport screening alone would not be enough, so it chose a signed statement that airlines must check.

What Happens Without the Form

A traveler who skips the Avianca Ebola form or lies on it can be delayed or refused boarding, now or on future trips. Knowingly lying can also be prosecuted as a federal crime.

Airlines must review each form, refuse boarding to anyone without one and keep a copy for 42 days. Penalties for breaking the order reach US$100,000 for individuals and US$200,000 for organizations.

An airline that fails to confirm the forms can also be refused permission to let its passengers off the plane. The CDC expects the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the US airport security agency, may add its own enforcement.

Abra Group and the US Investor View

Abra Group, which owns Avianca and Gol, reported US$2.6 billion in revenue for the second quarter of 2026, up 17.7% from a year earlier. Its airlines carried 17.6 million passengers, and liquidity stood at US$2.06 billion.

Abra’s first-half net margin was minus 10.6%, which the group blamed mainly on higher fuel prices and non-cash financial effects. Its total debt was US$11.3 billion at the end of June.

US investors follow the group through its debt and through Gol, which left US bankruptcy protection in New York on 6 June 2025. Abra’s chief executive, Adrian Neuhauser, said strong liquidity helped the group handle seasonal and economic pressure.

How Avianca Is Doing Right Now

In September 2026 Avianca carried 2.87 million passengers, 3.7% fewer than a year earlier. Its international passengers rose 3.3% to 1.32 million.

Over the first nine months it carried 28.55 million passengers, up 4.5%. Neither Abra nor Avianca has said what the Avianca Ebola form will cost to run.

What It Means for You

If you fly Avianca to the United States from 3 November, complete the Avianca Ebola form at home. Keep a printed copy or a saved proof on your phone, and allow extra time at check-in in the first days.

Our Colombia and United States relations explainer and Bogotá city guide help with trip planning. Our report on Abra’s SKY Airline takeover covers the group’s next step.

What Is Not Known

It is not clear where in the Avianca app or website the Avianca Ebola form sits, or whether airport counters will hand out blank copies. It is also unknown whether Avianca’s digital tool lets one adult complete the forms for a family.

The order applies to flights from every country and does not name Colombia as a risk. A decision to extend it beyond 18 December depends on case counts and spread.

More: Colombia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

What must Avianca passengers show on US flights?

From 3 November 2026 passengers must show a signed declaration that they were not in DR Congo in the past 21 days. It can be a digital proof or a printed, signed form.

Does the Avianca declaration apply to US citizens?

Yes, the CDC order covers every passenger and crew member on a flight to the United States, whatever the passport. Only people with a US government exemption are excused.

What happens if I have no Avianca Ebola form at the gate?

Avianca says you will not be allowed to board. The CDC order also allows denial of boarding on future trips for people who skip the form or give false information.

How long does the Avianca Ebola form rule last?

The CDC order runs until 18 December 2026 unless the agency ends or changes it sooner. Any extension would depend on case counts and how far the outbreak spreads.

Sources: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Notice and Amended Order, Requirement for Attestation by All Persons Arriving in the United States by Aircraft (signed 28 October 2026), 28 October 2026; Abra Group, news release on 2Q 2026 results, 21 August 2026; Abra Group, Management Discussion and Analysis of 2Q 2026 earnings, August 2026; Abra Group, Preliminary September 2026 Operating Metrics (Avianca and Gol traffic), 16 October 2026.

Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error