Update: The original story was published on September 22, 2021. Refreshed with updates.

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A week ago, India saw the first direct flights from Canada after a long hiatus due to Covid-19 related bans imposed on the origin of direct flights from India. This has now been pushed back to ensure Canada can test the health testing measure for travel from India.

Direct flights from India to Canada to resume September 27, 2021, onwards

As Canada prepares for the return of direct flights from India to Canada, Transport Canada is announcing an extension of the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that restricts all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India until September 26, 2021, at 23:59 EDT.

Once the restriction on direct flights expires, travellers eligible to enter Canada will be able to board direct flights from India to Canada with the following additional measures:

• Travellers must have proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test from the approved Genestrings Laboratory at the Delhi airport taken within 18 hours of the scheduled departure of their direct flight to Canada.
• Before boarding, air operators will be checking the travellers’ test results, ensuring they are eligible to come to Canada and that fully vaccinated travellers have uploaded their information into the ArriveCAN mobile app or website. Travellers who are unable to meet these requirements will be denied boarding.

As a first step, on September 22, 2021, three direct flights from India will arrive in Canada, and all passengers on these flights will be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival to ensure that the new measures are working.

After the resumption of direct flights, travellers who are eligible to enter Canada who depart India for Canada via an indirect route will continue to be required to obtain, within 72 hours of departure, a valid negative COVID-19 molecular test from a third country – other than India – before continuing their journey to Canada.

Air Canada and Air India are both resuming non-stop flights between Canada and India. Air Canada is expected to resume its flights from India on September 27, while Air India will be resuming its flights to Canada from September 30.

Bottomline

Canada has extended the ban on direct flights from India till September 26, 2359 hours EDT. This is done to test their measures for testing in India (with a solitary lab at Delhi Airport) and see if everything is acceptable for them or not.

What do you make of the new ban, rather an extension on the ban between Canada and India?

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