India-UAE flights to remain suspended until further notice

Dubai - As far as inbound passenger traffic from India is concerned, the status quo remains, an official said.

by Dhanusha Gokulan

Published: Thu 24 Jun 2021, 4:41 PM

Last updated: Thu 24 Jun 2021, 8:27 PM

A status quo remains on the suspension of incoming air passenger traffic from India to UAE, an official with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) told Khaleej Times on Thursday.

Inbound passenger traffic from India, which has been coping with an unusually severe second wave of Covid-19, will remain suspended until further notice, the official said.

"As far as inbound passenger traffic from India is concerned, the status quo remains. We are closely monitoring the situation in India, and a decision on when to lift the suspension on inbound travellers will be taken keeping in mind the safety and security of all parties involved," the official stated.

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"There are no new developments on this front," the official added.

Indian expat flies to Dubai all alone in Air India plane

Suspension of inbound passengers from India was first announced by the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) and GCAA on April 24 for 10 days. Following this, the authorities said on May 5 that the suspension on entry of travellers from India would be indefinite, and the decision remains.

On June 19, the Dubai Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announced the latest protocols enabling the safe resumption of travel from India to Dubai on June 23. However, flight operations are yet to resume on airline websites.

Furthermore, Dubai's flagship carrier Emirates informed its passengers on social media that flights from India to Dubai remain suspended. In response to tweets from passengers, Emirates said the situation is dynamic, and any change in travel protocols and guidelines will be updated immediately.

While Emirates and budget carrier flydubai have made seats available on aircrafts from various cities in India on their websites, from July 7 and 8 respectively, it is not immediately clear if the dates signify the end of the inbound passenger suspension.

Stranded expats wait for airlines to open bookings

As stated earlier, flights between the two countries will continue to allow passengers from the UAE to India and the transfer of exempted groups from India to the UAE.

Exempted travellers, including UAE citizens, those on diplomatic missions accredited by the two countries, official delegations, those travelling on business planes, and golden or silver residence holders, can travel between both nations.

However, they will be subject to preventive measures, including a 10-day quarantine and PCR testing at the airport and on the fourth and eighth days after entering the country, said GCAA.

AFP