Some biiiig aviation news has landed on our doorstep this week.
In the grand scheme of things, all relaxed guidelines are somewhat interconnected, as India’s COVID-19 caseload becomes more manageable. But to avoid confusion, we’ve split today’s story into three parts.
Take a look:
Etihad restarts flights from 8 cities to UAE
The United Arab Emirates has removed its ban on transit passenger traffic from India. As a result, Etihad Airways has resumed flights from eight Indian cities to the Gulf state. These cities are New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. Tickets from all these locations are bookable on ixigo.
Book your international flight using the code: INTFLY to get upto Rs.5000 instant off:
Along with Etihad, other airlines with limited but active India–UAE flights include IndiGo, Emirates, Air India, flydubai, Vistara and SpiceJet.
Please note that only the following categories of travellers can currently enter the UAE:
And now, passengers taking transit flights from India have joined the list.
All flyers with UAE as their final destination will have to take an RT-PCR test 48 hours before departure and carry a QR-coded report. Apart from this, all flyers must undergo a rapid RT-PCR test from inside their departing airport 4 hours before boarding. Travellers must also undergo a third test on arrival in the UAE.
Indian travellers transiting via Abu Dhabi to other countries need to take an RT-PCR test within 72 hours of their first flight’s departure, according to Etihad.
To know a few additional guidelines, tap here. Since travel policies are always changing, we advise you to re-check the latest entry requirements with your airline before booking.
Delhi Airport gets rapid RT-PCR testing facility
Indira Gandhi International Airport now has a rapid testing facility that can give passengers RT-PCR test results within 45 minutes, for a fee of Rs.5000. The facility should make travel to countries like the UAE easier, where testing at an airport facility is required before boarding.
Run by Genestrings Diagnostic Centre, the rapid testing is available at the airport’s Metro Connect Building. For passengers who don’t need reports at such short notice, Delhi Airport will continue to have its usual RT-PCR testing facility which delivers results within 10 hours for Rs.500.
Also Read | Which Indian Airports are Offering Rapid PCR Testing Facility?
IndiGo to launch IATA Travel Pass
Starting August 20, IndiGo will debut a pilot project with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to create a ‘digital passport’ that will make international travel easier for passengers. Built as a mobile app, here’s what the IATA Travel Pass aims to do:
- It will store and manage a passenger’s pre-travel test and vaccination status and verify that it meets their destination’s entry rules.
- It will allow passengers to share their test/vaccination certificates with government authorities and airlines for smooth travel.
- It will allow authorised labs and test centres to securely send test results/vaccination certificates to passengers.
If the trial is successful, other Indian airlines are likely to take up the IATA Travel Pass soon.
For more aviation updates, stay tuned to ixigo!
