Air India offer: In view of the latest directives by the government on the suspension of flights to the United Kingdom (UK) from 22 December to 31 December, and Oman and Saudi Arabia from 22nd December to 29th December, national carrier Air India on Monday decided to offer one-time free rescheduling of flights.
In its tweet, the airline said: “In view of GoI directive on the suspension of flights to the UK, from 22nd-31st Dec’20, Oman & Saudi Arabia both from 22nd-29th Dec ’20, Air India is offering passengers booked to travel during the period one-time free reschedule for travel completed within 31st Dec ’21. All Penalties for one-time rescheduling, cancellation, the rerouting will be waived for bookings between 22nd & 31st Dec ’20. For further assistance in this regard please dial our customer care numbers.”
#FlyAI : In view of GoI directive on suspension of flights to UK, from 22nd-31st Dec'20, Oman & Saudi Arabia both from 22nd-29th Dec '20, Air India is offering passengers booked to travel during the period one-time free reschedule for travel completed within 31st Dec '21. (1/2)
— Air India (@airindiain) December 22, 2020
While India suspended travel to the UK on Monday until December 31 owing to the discovery of a new strain of the coronavirus there, Oman and Saudi Arabia are put on observation to ascertain the spread of the virus with services halted for a week’s time.
Saudi Arabia too suspended all commercial flights starting Monday, with the interior ministry warning about a further extension contingent upon circumstances.
Oman has also put all traffic via air, land, and seaports on halt for a week, while allowing only cargo shipments to move.
Health Ministry in India has issued a new set of standard operating procedures (SOPs) on Tuesday to check the new COVID-19 mutant strain from landing on the country’s shores. This pertains to epidemiological surveillance, enabling international airports as well as the state governments to better ensure that all measures are taken when passengers from the UK start arriving in the country.
Air India had been running flights between India and the UK along with British Airways, Vistara, and Virgin Atlantic under the air-bubble agreement between the two countries.
Mean-while, A day after recording the lowest number of daily Covid-19 infections, India on Wednesday reported 23,950 new cases, taking the total tally to 10,099066. On Tuesday, the 24-hour tally reached the lowest with only 19,556 cases recorded on Monday. This was the lowest after 173 days.
The number of active cases has dropped below 2 lakh and is now at 1,89,240
The health ministry on Tuesday issued a new SOP in the context of the new variant of SARS-CoV-2 detected in the United Kingdom, making it mandatory for all states to test passengers traveling from or transiting through airports in the UK. Passengers testing positive shall be isolated in an institutional isolation facility in a separate (isolation) unit coordinated by the respective State Health Authorities. Those who are found negative on testing with RT-PCR at the airport would be advised quarantine at home and followed up.
