Canada will from Monday allow resumption of direct flights from India, more than five months after suspending their operation in April this year when the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic swept the nation. Last Tuesday, Canada extended the restriction on all direct commercial and private passenger flights from India until September 26. “As of September 27, 2021, direct flights from India to Canada will resume,” the Canadian government said on Sunday.
The flight ban was lifted after test results of passengers who flew to Canada from New Delhi on September 22 aboard three Air Canada flights came out to be negative. Prior to the ban in April this year, the two airlines were operating daily direct flights from India to Canada under an air bubble arrangement between the two governments.
With the ban now lifted, passengers from India can now travel to Canada with a few precautionary measures, which include having a negative Covid-19 test report from an approved laboratory.
Here are the latest guidelines:
1. The negative Covid-19 test report should be taken not more than 18 hours before departure.
2. Prior to boarding, air operators will check the travellers’ test results ensuring they are eligible to come to Canada.
3. Fully vaccinated passengers will have to upload the relevant information into the ArriveCAN mobile app or website.
4. Those who are unable to meet these requirements will be denied boarding by the officials.
5. Passengers travelling to Canada from India via an indirect route must obtain a pre-departure negative Covid-19 molecular test result from a third country before continuing their journey to Canada.
