India UK flights, January: India has resumed the flight exchange with the United Kingdom. However, the new covid strain has led to both the governments to draw stringent and new covid restrictions. Delhi government has issued an order for all the passengers arriving from the United Kingdom.
- Issuing the statement, Delhi government said, “All those arriving from the UK, who test positive will be isolated in an isolation facility. Negative ones will be taken to a quarantine facility for 7 days followed by 7 days home quarantine.” The advisory signed by Chief Secretary of Delhi, Vijay Dev stated that this order will be applicable on a trial basis for a period of one week that is till 14 January 2021.
- Flyers arriving from the UK are to undergo a mandatory RT-PCR Covid test in the country as well as in India. They must provide a negative covid report form by uploading it on the Air Suvidha Portal before boarding flight from the UK. The sample for the covid test must be collected within 72 hours of the journey.
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- The passengers arriving must undergo RT-PCR test at their first arrival port in India and that the test must be paid by them only. The Covid-19 test cost and lounge at the Delhi airport in Rs. 3,400 per passenger.
- Delhi Airport Authority has also suggested the passengers keep a 10-hour gap between the international flight estimated arrival time and the connecting domestic flight departure time. Therefore, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has decided to begin regulated resumption of limited flights originating from the United Kingdom to India, from January 8 to January 30.
Delhi International Airport Ltd along with Genestrings Diagnostic Lab has been working closely in the other authorities in order to ensure smooth operations. The information was given by Dr Gauri Agarwal who is founder, director of Genestrings diagnostic. Genestrings diagnostic is the lab conducting the RT-PCR tests at the Delhi airport.
Dr Gauri Agarwal said, “It takes 4-6 hours to get the reports, however, as a mandate, all the passengers in the flight, including crew members will have to be halted until all results are declared. Arrangements are in place to ensure that the RT-PCR tests for all the passengers arriving from the UK get conducted smoothly.”