Covid-19 Alert: India halt UK flights over mutant COVID-19 fears till 31st December

New Delhi: The Indian government has banned all flights from the UK as a precautionary measure till 31 December after the new strain of coronavirus was introduced in Britain. The Ministry of Civil Aviation announced that all flights originating from Britain to India will be postponed from 11.59 pm on 22 December to 11.59 pm on 31 December. Please tell that this virus is considered to be 70 percent more infectious than corona.

The Government of India has taken this step in view of the situation after the arrival of new virus strains in Britain. A high-level meeting was called by the Ministry of Health regarding this. After which it was decided to temporarily stop flights coming from Britain.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a tweet, “In view of the current situation in the UK (Government of India), it has decided that all flights from the UK to India will be suspended till 31 December 2020.”

He said, “This suspension commencement period is 23.59 hours, till 22 December 2020. As a result, flights from India to Britain will be temporarily postponed for longer periods during the said period. “

The latest decision of the Indian government has come after the governments of France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, Switzerland, Bulgaria Romania, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Canada, Iran, Turkey, etc. Flights from the UK have been temporarily suspended.

However, special flights such as charter flights, flights under the air bubble regime, and repatriation flights are permitted to operate to international destinations.

Under the agreement of an air bubble between the two countries, special international passenger flights can be operated by their airlines in each other’s territory under restrictive conditions. International flights to India were suspended from March 23 due to the coronavirus epidemic. India currently has air bubble pacts with 23 countries including the US and the UK.

Currently, Indian airlines such as Vistara, and Air India operate flights to the UK, which are now temporarily suspended. While Vistara operates daily flights from Delhi to London, it operates three weekly flights from Mumbai to London. The national carrier Air India Limited currently operates three weekly flights from New Delhi and Mumbai to London. Meanwhile, British Airlines has six weekly flights between Delhi and London, and five weekly flights between Mumbai and London. Virgin Atlantic has four weekly flights each from Mumbai and New Delhi to London.

RT & PCR test mandatory at the airport
As a precaution, passengers arriving from the UK will have to undergo mandatory tests at airports on all transit flights. The Civil Aviation Ministry has taken this decision to prevent the new strain of Covid from spreading in India. UK Passengers of flights that have taken off on or before takeoff before 11.59 pm on 22 December will have to undergo RT & PCR tests in India.