Kuwait resumes commercial flights to India and other southeast Asian countries

Kuwait resumed direct flights to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal on Tuesday. Kuwait's civil aviation authority had halted flights to India during the devastating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and last month, announced its decision to resume flights. 

In September, India started flights to 49 destinations an air bubble agreement with 18 countries. Special international flights can be undertaken by their airlines between respective borders under an air bubble pact. 

Guidelines to visit Kuwait require people to be fully vaccinated with any of the WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines. Kuwaiti citizens, first-degree relatives, and domestic employees will be permitted entry. Before departing, all travellers must present a negative RTPCR test result obtained within the previous 48 hours. Passengers must also use their UID and phone number to download and register on the Alhosn app, a COVID-19 testing channel for health authorities. 

Last month, the UAE had relaxed transit restrictions and announced the resumption of commercial international flights to India, as well as other Southeast Asian countries and Egypt. Since banning visitors from India, Pakistan, and Nigeria, the UAE has been gradually loosening travel restrictions. Residents of the country's largest cities, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, were allowed to return earlier this month.

Kuwait stopped commercial flights from India in April

Following the advice of health experts, Kuwait had stopped commercial flights from a number of countries, including India, because of an increase in COVID-19 cases, in April.

It was decided that anyone travelling from India, whether directly or via another country, would be denied entry until they had spent at least 14 days outside the nation. From 1 July, Kuwait authorised direct flights to 12 countries, including the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Kyrgyzstan, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Kuwait government had, on 29 July, placed an overseas travel ban on people who had not been vaccinated. The rule had taken effect on 1 August. However, children under the age of sixteen and passengers who had obtained a Health Ministry authorisation were exempt from the travel ban. Pregnant women with adequate proof of pregnancy were also granted exemptions.

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