UAE suspends flights from India amid Covid surge
NEW DELHI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday barred entry of travellers from India for 10 days from April 25 to May 4, amid an unrelenting surge in Covid cases.
Consequently, neither Emirates nor other airlines will fly passengers from India.
However, Indians can arrive into UAE only if they have stayed in some other country for at least 14 days.
“From 11.59 pm on April 24, no travel shall be allowed on India-Dubai for 10 days till 11.59 pm on May 4. During this period travel from Dubai to India is not effected. Diplomatic/official missions are exempted. UAE nationals stranded in India are allowed to return to UAE. No transit passengers shall be allowed ex-India. Private jets/planes are allowed,” said an official.
Delhi-Dubai and Mumbai-Dubai are among the international busiest routes even during the pandemic. Comments from airlines are awaited.
UAE is the second country after UK to bar the entry of Indians due to highly infectious new Covid strain that has led to an explosive rise in number of cases.
The United Kingdom added India to its red list of countries earlier this week. As a result, Indians will not be allowed to enter UK from 8.30 am (India time) on Friday. While, British citizens will need to quarantine themselves in a hotel for 10 days upon arrival.
“If you have been in or through any of the (red list countries) in the previous 10 days, you will be refused entry to the UK. If you are a British or Irish National, or you have residence rights in the UK, you will be able to enter. You must quarantine in a government approved hotel for 10 days,” UK government website said.
The decision comes after India's tally of Covid-19 cases soared by 314,835 over the previous 24 hours, the highest daily increase recorded anywhere.
The previous record one-day rise in cases was held by the United States, at 297,430, in January.
With Covid situation worsening, more countries are imposing travel restrictions on the country. After the UK travel curbs, the United Arab Emirates has barred the entry of travellers from India for 10 days from April 25 till May 4 (both days included).
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