People travelling between the UAE and India will have to wait a bit longer as the UAE government extends the suspension of such flights amid the worsening situation in India as per the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA).
The official count of India’s Covid-19 cases surpassed 20 million on Tuesday (May 4), nearly doubling in the past three months, while deaths officially have passed 220,000.
Gov’t Suspends UAE-India Travel Until Further Notice
The suspension of entry for travellers from India was supposed to have ended on May 4, but it has been extended until further notice, the Khaleej Times reported.
The NCEMA noted that passengers are not allowed on India-UAE flights operated by international or local carriers. However, UAE citizens, diplomats, official delegations, golden residency visa holders, and flights of businessmen are exempted from this rule.
In line with this, exempted travellers must take a COVID PCR test no more than 48 hours prior to travel – down from 72 hours.
Also, they are required to take a PCR test at the airport and on the fourth and the eighth days of entry. Moreover, they must undergo a 10-day quarantine.
The NCEMA however did not specify when the suspension would be lifted.
#NCEMA and Civil Aviation: Suspension of entry for travelers from India on all flights on national and foreign carriers, as well as for transit passengers coming from India, with the exception of transit flights traveling to the UAE and bound for India.https://t.co/r4PiQ63uyN pic.twitter.com/3djD9aU8pv
— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) May 4, 2021
According to an official with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GCAA), “A final date about when the suspension will be lifted is under continuous assessment. We are closely monitoring the situation in India.”
India-UAE flights were first suspended for 10 days from 11:59 pm on April 24.
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