In wake of the threat of the new Omicron variant, the Central government has postponed the resumption of scheduled international flights from December 15. The new dates for restarting the flights will be announced later by the aviation regulator DGCA.
However, the new guidelines will not affect the current flights that are already operating. The international flights have remained suspended from March 2020 following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was only last month that the government decided to normalise international flight operations.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has further stated that the air bubble arrangement that India has with several countries should remain intact.
Meanwhile, the Central government on Wednesday issued a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). According to the FAQs, it stated that passengers transiting through countries ‘at-risk’ but staying within the premises of the airports can be exempted from post-arrival testing in India.
Besides, those passengers coming from countries that are not put in the ‘at-risk’ list will be subject to random sampling for COVID-19. This 2% of passengers will be permitted to leave the airport after giving the samples.
Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Tuesday advised states to keep a strict vigil on the international passengers coming to the country through various airports, ports and land border crossings.
FAQs issued by the government
Post-arrival testing is exempted for a person travelling from a not ‘at risk’ country and has only a transit in ‘at risk’ country.
Those who travelled to any ‘at risk’ country in the last 14 days will be asked for post-arrival testing and other restrictions.
The random sampling would be limited to 2% as per the latest MoHFW guidelines and it would be on a self-paid basis.
Airlines/Airports may coordinate with the officials of State/UT governments to select the passenger at random sampling.
Travellers have to wait for their post-arrival COVID test results before leaving or taking a connecting flight, the ministry said.
