International Flights: Hong Kong Bans Air India | London, Germany Direct Flight Starts
Following the brief suspension of air travel between India and Germany, the Air India will be starting flights to Germany flights from October 26.
After a few passengers tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in Hong Kong, all Air India, Vistara flights to Hong Kong have been debarred from October 17 to 30, a senior government official on Friday told PTI.
Read on to know more…
India Germany Flights to Resume From October 26!
Air India tweeted, “Air India will operate flights between India-Germany from 26th Oct’ 20 to 28th March ’21. Bookings open through AI website, booking offices, call center and authorised travel agents.”
Recently, Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that India was in talks with Germany regarding the air bubble between the two countries.
The resumption of flights between India and Germany signals that the new understanding between the two countries has been extended till March 28, 2021.
The passenger with Air India tickets between October 20 and October 26 (when the Air India flights to Germany are suspended) should contact the airline for rescheduling after October 26.
Hong Kong Suspends Indian Carriers For the Third Time!
After bans from September 20 to October 3 and August 18 to August 31, the current suspension of Air India flights to Hong Kong has happened a third time after passengers tested positive for COVID-19 post-arrival.
However, Vistara flight ban has occurred for the first time since the flights have resumed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the regulations issued by the Hong Kong government in July, a COVID-19 negative certificate from a test done 72 hours prior to the journey is mandatory for anyone (from India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, and the US) traveling to Hong Kong.
Furthermore, for all international passengers, a post-flight COVID-19 test at the Hong Kong airport has also been made compulsory.
The senior official mentioned above also said, “A few passengers who travelled on Delhi-Hong Kong flight of Air India and Chennai-Hong Kong flight of Vistara on Thursday tested positive for COVID-19 post-arrival.”
The official added, “Consequently, the flights of these two airlines have been barred from October 17 to October 30 by the Hong Kong government.”
The submission of a form that states all passengers aboard COVID-19 negative certificates has also been made mandatory for any airline operating a flight to Hong Kong from any of the above mentioned nine countries.