26 September 2021, Sunday: Canada has said that it is lifting a ban on direct passenger flights from India with effect from 27 September, five months after it was imposed amid the second COVID-19 wave. Passengers must carry a negative COVID-19 test report from an approved laboratory taken 18 hours prior to departure. This comes after passengers traveling from India to Canada in three flights on Wednesday tested negative.
Canada has finally lifted its ban on direct passenger flights from India more than 5 months after the second wave of COVID-19 hit India in April this year. Canada Air is likely to operate the first direct flight between the two countries on Monday, while Air India will resume services on September 30.
Announcing this, Transport Canada tweeted, “Starting at 00:01 EDT on September 27, direct flights from India may land in Canada with additional public health measures in place.” The translation of that time is 9.30 am IST.
“Passengers must have proof of a negative COVID-19 Molecular Test (RT-PCR) from an approved Genstring Laboratory at Delhi Airport within 18 hours of the scheduled departure of their direct flight to Canada,” it said.
An updated travel advisory from the Canadian government states that they “must present a test report with a QR code issued by this laboratory to the air operator prior to boarding.”
Those who have “previously tested positive for COVID-19 can present a positive molecular test report issued by a certified laboratory in India. The date of collection should be between 14 and 180 days from their scheduled departure for Canada.” should,” it said.
India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa Ajay Bisaria welcomed the move and tweeted that it was “great to see a decisive step towards normalizing air mobility” between the two countries. He added that they are “working with Canadian partners to make travel even easier.”
The ban was lifted on September 22 on three Air Canada flights after passengers from New Delhi to Canada tested negative for their tests.
Before the ban in April, the two airlines were operating daily direct flights from India to Canada under an air bubble arrangement between the two governments.