Canada to allow direct flights from September 27 after a five-month ban

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From Monday, Canada will allow direct flights from India. The move comes after a ban of more than five months. While announcing the decision, Transport Canada said in a tweet that Canada will allow direct flights from India from September 27, with additional public health measures in place. It also said that travellers must carry a Covid-19 molecular test from the approved Genestrings Laboratory at the Delhi airport taken within 18 hours of the scheduled departure of the flight.

The tweet read that, “Beginning at 00:01 EDT on September 27, direct flights from India can land in Canada with additional public health measures in place.” “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,” it added.

#ICYMI: Beginning at 00:01 EDT on September 27, direct flights from India can land in Canada with additional public health measures in place. (1/2)

— Transport Canada (@Transport_gc) September 25, 2021

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. https://t.co/ZEHX6oV0Lo (2/2)

— Transport Canada (@Transport_gc) September 25, 2021

Canada banned all direct flights to and from India in April, when the second Covid wave hit India . The date of reopening has been postponed many times.

Indian high commissioner welcomes decision

India’s high commissioner Ajay Bisaria had welcomed the decision describing it as a decisive step in normalising air mobility between the two countries.

Great to see a decisive step towards normalising air mobility between 🇮🇳 and 🇨🇦. @airindiain and @AirCanada now set to run daily flights bw Delhi and Toronto/Vancouver from 27 September. Working with Canadian partners to further ease travel. @HCI_Ottawa @MEAIndia @IndiainToronto https://t.co/aizjEhv9fc

— Ajay Bisaria (@Ajaybis) September 26, 2021

He tweeted that, “@airindiain and @AirCanada are now set to run daily flights between Delhi and Toronto/Vancouver from 27 September. Working with Canadian partners to further ease travel.”

Passengers who travel from India to Canada via an indirect route still need to provide a pre-departure negative Covid-19 molecular test result from a third country before continuing their journey to Canada.

However, a pre-departure negative Covid-19 molecular test result is needed for passengers travelling from India to Canada through an indirect route, from a third country before resuming their journey to Canada.