Flights between India and UK to resume on January 6 in limited capacity

India banned the arrival of the passengers from the UK to India on direct as well transit flights until December 31, 2020, which was extended to January 7, 2021. India has now decided to resume the flight between the countries.

The minister in-charge for aviation tweeted and declared that the flights between the countries will resume on January 6, 2021 that is a day early. The flights going from India to UK starts on January 6 while the flights coming from UK to India will start January 8. As per the plan, for about next 15 days, the 15 flights per week will arrive to India where the airports are limited to Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

What types of passengers are allowed?

All UK departures to be tested on departure and arrival, transit passengers won’t be allowed. Any passengers are not allowed to travel from the UK to India through a transit airport of a third country, to ensure there are no omissions in the monitoring of those passengers.

All the passengers coming from the UK during the intervening period from January 8 to 30, 2021 shall be subjected to the following:

• The passengers should submit self-declaration form on the online portal (www.newdelhiairport.in) at least 72 hours before the scheduled travel.
• The passengers arriving from the UK via any international flight should be carrying Negative RT-PCR Test Report for which test should have been conducted within 72 hours before undertaking the journey. The same also shall be uploaded on the online portal (newdelhiairport.in)
• Airlines to ensure the availability of negative test report before allowing the passenger to board the flight.
• Passengers testing positive shall be isolated in an institutional isolation facility in a separate (isolation) unit coordinated by the respective state Health Authorities. They would earmark specific facilities for such isolation and treatment and take necessary action to send the positive samples to Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) Labs.
• In case of the current SARS-CoV-2 virus genome circulating in the country, the ongoing treatment protocol including home isolation/treatment at the facility level as per case severity may be followed.
• If the genomic sequencing indicates a new variant of SARS-CoV-2, the patient will continue to remain in a separate isolation unit. While necessary treatment as per the existing protocol will be given, the patient shall be tested on 14th day after testing positive in the initial test. The patient will be kept in the isolation facility till the sample is tested negative.
• Those who are found negative on testing with RT-PCR at the airport would be advised quarantine at home for 14 days and regularly followed up by the concerned State/District.

You may read the detailed guidelines here.