Special International Flights in India — Arrangements, Destination countries, and Restrictions
International flights in India
In light of Covid19, all international and domestic flights were canceled in India. Although domestic flights were given nod to resume in May, international flights were put on hold. However, a few cargo flights and other necessary flights, approved by DGCA, were still allowed to operate. The problem with the ban on International flights meant people were left stranded in different countries. So to bring these people back to the native country, special flights were operated under the initiative named ‘Vande Bharat Mission’.
Arrangements
The Vande Bharat Mission was started in May and phase 1 is believed to have brought 15k people back home from 52 countries. During phase 1, Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express operated close to 64 flights, to different countries, on a payment basis. Since then the mission has completed 5 phases and said to have brought 2.5 lac stranded people back home. The 6th phase of the mission shall commence from 1st September. The government of India has made special arrangements for Indians stuck in other countries and any Indian who has an OIC card can make international flight booking by contacting Embassy/Consulates.
The following rules should be followed by passengers:
· Every passenger has to take a medical test before departure and after arrival.
· The cost of the flight has to be borne by the passenger.
· Only asymptomatic passengers shall be allowed to travel.
· Everyone should follow health guidelines directed by health consulates.
· All passengers have to submit a self-declaration form on the online portal at least 72 hours before arrival.
Countries
The 5th phase of the mission was started in August and specific air bubbles were created with more than 12 countries to bring passengers to and from India.
During phase 5, two-way international flights were operated between Delhi, Mumbai and Washington DC, Newark, New York, San Francisco, Frankfurt, and Paris. Apart from these air bubble flights, one-way flights were also operated to countries like Sydney, Abu Dhabi, Kiev, etc. Special flights were also flown to Canada and Germany. The 6th phase is expected to reach even more people from other countries. The price of international flights can be checked on their airline’s website.
Also since July normal travel has been approved by the UAE government. Strict guidelines have been placed for people traveling in from other countries and travelers are requested to adhere to them. For travelers traveling to India underlined quarantine rules are to be followed:
· All passengers have to undergo 7 days of mandatory institutional quarantine on their own expense as well as 7 days home quarantine.
· Only in special cases, like pregnancy, death in the family, or serious illness, institutional quarantine can be relaxed and 14 days home quarantine can be mandated.
· Travelers can also be exempted from quarantine upon submission of a negative test result report, taken 96 hours before arrival.
Restrictions
· Masks are mandatory at all times during flight or upon arrival at the airport. Travelers are also directed to use hand sanitizers from time to time.
· As per the directives of the Government of India, international passengers arriving in India shall not be permitted to fly further ahead unless they have completed the mandated home or institutional quarantine.
· In the case of students appearing for any exams, the quarantine period can be waived off upon submitting a negative test result, conducted 96 hours before arrival.
The international flight tickets can be booked through the airline’s website or other web portals. Due to covid19, the flights are not running at full capacity and it’s advisable to get tested before departure to ensure no-hassle is faced upon arrival. Few web portals are giving heavy discounts or cashback on their site and in case the ticket was booked during lockdown coupons can be applied at checkouts to get cheap flight tickets.
