Hong Kong bars Air India flights till Oct 3 after passengers test positive for COVID

Hong Kong has banned Air India flights from Sunday to October 3 after a few passengers on its flight on Friday tested positive for COVID-19 post arrival, a senior government official said on Sunday. Air India passenger flights were barred from landing in Hong Kong between August 18 and August 31 after 14 passengers on its Delhi-Hong Kong flight of August 14 tested positive for COVID-19 post arrival.

Passengers from India can arrive in Hong Kong only if y have a COVID-19 negative certificate from a test done within 72 hours prior to journey, according to rules issued by Hong Kong government in July.Moreover, all international passengers are required to undergo a post-flight COVID-19 test at Hong Kong airport.

A spokesperson of national carrier confirmed recent order, saying that Hong Kong has prohibited Air India for two weeks -- September 20 to October 3.

"re is only one flight scheduled in two weeks -- Delhi-Hong Kong flight of September 21. That flight is cancelled and passengers have been informed," spokesperson ded.

Air India Express h on Friday said its flights were suspended for 24 hours by Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) for bringing two passengers with COVID-positive certificates on August 28 and September 4. Air India Express, which is a subsidiary of Air India, resumed its Dubai flights on Saturday.

According to rules in United Arab Emirates (UAE), every passenger travelling from India is required to bring an original COVID-negative certificate of an RT-PCR test done within 96 hours prior to journey.

"A few passengers on a September 18 Delhi-Hong Kong flight tested positive for COVID-19 post arrival," senior government official said.

As a result, Air India's flights have been banned from September 20 to October 3 by Hong Kong government," official ded. Besides India, a pre-flight COVID-19 negative certificate is mandatory for all passengers from Banglesh, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa and US, according to Hong Kong government's rules.

An airline operating a flight to Hong Kong from any of se nine countries has to submit a form before departure, stating that all passengers on board have COVID-19 negative certificates. Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India since March 23 due to coronavirus pandemic.

However, special international flights have been operating with approval of aviation regulator DGCA. Air India has been operating special international flights since May 6 under Vande Bharat Mission to help stranded people reach ir destinations.

Since July, India has established separate bilateral air bubble arrangements with countries such as US, Germany, France, UAE, UK and Maldives for international flight operations. Under a bilateral air bubble pact, airlines of both countries can operate international flights with certain restrictions. 

(Im Credits:PTI)