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

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.

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.

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.