IT Correspondent
New Delhi, Jan 28:
Amid concerns over the new COVID-19 variant detected in the United Kingdom, the government has extended the restriction on flights between India and UK up to midnight of February 14, 2021.
“The competent authority has further extended the restriction on flights between India and UK up to February 14, 2021 (23.59 hrs),” the DGCA said in a release. “The other terms and conditions of the said letter shall remain unchanged,’’ it added. “UK carriers may file their bubble schedule accordingly to DGCA for approval,” the release said.
The flight services between India and UK resumed from 06 January, while those from the UK to India re-commenced from 08 January. These services were suspended to stop the spread of a mutant Covid-19 strain which was recently discovered in the UK. Several countries, including India, had suspended flight services to the UK in the wake of the new mutant Covid-19 strain. The suspension commenced with effect from 11.59 PM on December 22, 2020.
The initial decision was to suspend flights till 31 December.However, in the wake of increasing cases of the new strain, it was decided to extend the temporary suspension of flights to and from the UK till January, 07. Prior to the suspension, over 60 flights per week were being operated between the UK and India. Airlines such as Vistara, Air India, Virgin Atlantic and British Airways operate flights between the two countries.
Earlier this month, the Union Health Ministry stated that a passenger coming from the UK can board a flight to India only when he-she has a negative test report from a sample taken 72 hours prior to the journey. Moreover, as per the rules, the passenger also has to take the RT-PCR test on arrival at the entry airport in India.
