Amid new Covid-19 strain scare, India suspends all UK flights

Minister of State for Civil Aviation (Independent Charge) Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri has informed that all flights originating from the UK into India stand temporarily suspended from December 22 to-31. Puri stated that the Central Government had decided to take all necessary precautions given the situation arising out of the spread of a new Covid-19 strain in some countries. This suspension will commence from 23.59 hours on December 22. However, this restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Airlines operating flights to India from other countries shall not board any passenger travelling from the UK to India, and ensure that no passenger coming from the UK is boarded in a flight for any destination in India either directly or indirectly, a Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) press release said. As a measure of precaution, passengers arriving from the UK in all transit flights before December 22 would be subject to mandatory RT-PCR testing at the arrival port in India. Passengers found Covid-19 positive on arrival shall be quarantined as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and would bear the medical costs incurred.