Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced on Saturday, 2 January, the resumption of flights between India and the United Kingdom, following a temporary suspension in December, after UK reported a mutated strain of the virus.
According to a notice issued by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, “the resumption of flights is to be done in a calibrated manner” by allowing flights to and from the UK to five international airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad.
When Will Flights Resume?
Puri, in a tweet, announced that while flights from India to UK will resume from 6 January 2021, those from UK to India will take off from 8 January 2021.
According to information provided by the minister, 30 flights will operate every week, 15 each by Indian and UK carriers.
This schedule is valid till 23 January 2021. Further frequency will be determined after review.
According to a notice issued by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, the ministry, in consultation with Union Ministry of Civil Aviation “has reviewed the situation with regard to resumption of international flight services to/from UK and it has been decided to allow limited flight connectivity to/from UK with effect from 8 January 2021”.
Which Cities Will Flights Operate From?
According to a notice issued by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, “the resumption of flights is to be done in a calibrated manner” by allowing flights to and from the UK to five international airports in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad.
How Will Airports & Flights Implement This?
According to the Ministry, DGCA will ensure “adequate space between flights scheduled” to ensure that flights arriving in India do not encounter large crowds during the testing protocol.
DGCA will also strictly monitor that airports do not allow passengers to arrive in India from the UK through the transit airport of a third country.
Passengers will have to declare their travel history of the past 14 days and fill out a self-declaration form to be tested for COVID-19.
What’s the SOP for passengers arriving from the UK?
Here are the following actions that passengers arriving in India from UK have to take:
- Submit a self-declaration form on www.delhiairport.com at least 72 hours before travel.
- Carry a negative RT-PCR test report conducted within 72 hours of the flight. This has to be uploaded on www.delhiairport.com as well. Airlines will have to confirm the availability of the negative report before allowing passengers to board the flight.
- Passengers arriving from UK shall be subject to a mandatory self paid RT-PCR test at the international airport.
What if a Passenger Tests Positive at the Airport?
Passengers testing positive shall be isolated at an institutional facility in a separate isolation unit, coordinated by the respective health authorities.
If the passenger is found to have been infected by the current COVID-19 strain circulating in the country, then she may be allowed to be isolated at home or at a treatment facility as per the severity.
However, if the mutant strain is found, the patient will continue to stay in a separate isolation unit and will be tested again after 14 days.
Those who are found negative would be advised to quarantine at home for 14 days.
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