All You Need to Know if You are Booking Flights to and from India in September and October

[ShruteSastry]

The COVID19 health emergency has disrupted international travel to such a great extent that air travel is subject to many regulations and restrictions. With airlines resuming services and countries reopening airports amid the pandemic, international travel is getting complicated. From booking air tickets to boarding flights, every step entails certain regulations for travelers. In the current scenario of the changing norms related to air travel, you need to be well-informed about your travel eligibility, the destination country’s entry requirements, and the operating airline’s SOP.

 

No registration for flights to and from India  

Good news for international travelers flying into and out of India! Now booking VBM flights and air bubble flights is simpler and easier. India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has eased the regulations for passengers of flights under the Vande Bharat Mission and the air transport bubble arrangement. Those planning to travel on Air India’s VBM flights from abroad need not register with the Indian Embassy or consulates in the countries where they are currently residing or stranded. Similarly, travelers booking air bubble flights, inbound or outbound, are no longer required to apply to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Providing their details, including the places of departure and arrival, to the airlines operating their flights to and from India will be enough. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has designated airlines operating VBM and air bubble flights as agencies for registering passenger details.

Lufthansa’s COVID-19 test policy

In September 2020, Lufthansa will be operating 160 round-trip flights to India. In the September schedule of air bubble flights to India, Lufthansa will serve Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi. India’s continued air transport bubble arrangement with the United States and Germany has facilitated the September schedule of Lufthansa flights to India from USA and Canada via Frankfurt or Munich.

A negative COVID-19 test is not mandatory for boarding Lufthansa flights. Only asymptomatic people are allowed to travel on Lufthansa though. However, Lufthansa requires passengers to carry a medical certificate and a negative COVID test report in case they will not be able to keep wearing masks on board due to medical reasons. The conditional exemption to wearing masks during the flight will take effect from September 1 and apply to passengers of Lufthansa group airlines. The COVID-19 test must be taken within 48 hours of undertaking the journey.

Virgin Atlantic flights to India

Air bubble flights to India scheduled through September and October include Virgin Atlantic flights to Delhi and Mumbai starting September 2 and 17 respectively. Virgin Atlantic will be operating New York to India air bubble flights through London, and Delta Airlines will provide connections to New York from other US cities for Virgin Atlantic’s India flights. Virgin Atlantic offers a change of date fee waiver twice for flight rescheduling until September 2020.

Virgin Atlantic’s free COVID insurance policy

A complimentary COVID19 insurance is available on booking Virgin Atlantic flight tickets. The insurance will provide coverage worth £500,000 (over Rs 4.7 crore) for emergency medical and transport expenses related to COVID19. The policy applies to both new and existing bookings for Virgin Atlantic flights scheduled between August 24, 2020 and March 21, 2021. Check Virgin Atlantic’s COVID19 insurance coverage details and eligibility norms for travelers.

Flights to Kolkata from Delhi and Mumbai resume

Kolkata Airport is open to flights from Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Ahmedabad in September 2020. It is good news for Kolkata-bound international travelers as most VBM flights and air bubble flights are scheduled to arrive at Delhi and Mumbai. If travelers hold single PNRs for VBM or air bubble flights to Delhi or Mumbai with onward domestic connection to Kolkata, they will face institutional quarantine in Kolkata, not at the gateway destination. Three weekly flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmedabad to Kolkata will be allowed except on September 7, 11 and 12.

India’s new no-fly rule for COVID19 travel

In a zero-tolerance approach to ensuring COVID protection on board, India’s aviation regulator directs airlines to put travelers refusing to cover their face on the no-fly list. If a passenger does not comply with the obligation of wearing a mask or face covering, he/she is likely to be denied boarding or deplaned. They may also be barred from flying for a certain period of time. The crew members of a flight reserve the right to decide who to put on the no-fly list. Several major airlines, including Delta Airlines, have the same ‘no-fly’ policy for passengers amid the COVID19 pandemic. The consequences of ending up on a no-fly list may include a lifetime ban on flying in India.

New COVID19 testing facility at Newark Airport    

Newark Liberty International Airport has got a COVID19 testing facility for airport employees, airline crew, and passengers. Located on Level 3 in Terminal B, the COVID testing facility has been operating for the past seven days and is currently accessible to the EWR airport workers and the airline crew. Arranged by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Newark Liberty Airport’s COVID19 testing facility comprises six screening rooms and can test up to 350 individuals a day. Both antibody testing and PCR (polymerase chain reaction) testing are available at the EWR airport facility. Reportedly, the on-airport COVID testing facility will be available to passengers soon.

COVID19 test for travelers flying out of India

COVID19 testing facilities are underway for travelers flying out of India. A COVID19 test report will ensure hassle-free international travel for outbound flyers. Entry to some countries, including the UAE is permitted for foreign travelers carrying a negative COVID test certificate. In response to Hong Kong’s ban on Air India flights after 11 travelers from Delhi tested positive on arrival, the government of India is considering a proposal to ask international travelers to get tested for COVID19 prior to their flight out of the country. Passengers of Emirates flights need to carry a COVID19 test report with negative status.

Hot meals and inflight entertainment are back on board

India’s civil aviation ministry has issued new directives for airlines operating domestic and international flights under the Vande Bharat Mission and the air transport bubble arrangement. As per the new SOP, passengers can be served pre-packed meals, snacks and beverages aboard domestic flights depending on the flight time and the policy of the operating airlines. Airlines operating international flights are also allowed to serve hot meals with limited beverages on board amidst precautions against COVID19. Airlines are directed to ensure that completely disposable trays, plates, cutlery, and containers are used on board. In all travel classes, flight attendants will be serving beverages in single-use disposable units. In-flight beverage-pouring service will continue to remain suspended. They will wear a new set of gloves for serving every meal.

Since international travel resumed under the Vande Bharat Mission, inflight entertainment had remained banned. The latest directives allow inflight entertainment on domestic and international flights. Airlines need to follow certain regulations concerning inflight entertainment, like providing disposable earphones or disinfecting earphones before every flight. With the lifting of ban on inflight entertainment, family travellers won’t have a tough time controlling kids on board

 

Source: https://www.indianeagle.com/travelbeats/air-india-vbm-air-bubble-flights-2020/?fbclid=IwAR0BqEaofGnk-F1ECjjV-zvNApxvyISBSOOg_rTg8njZ_NckiWCeKo1hM6w

[Amrita]

GP !