Kuwait indefinitely suspends passenger flights from India

Kuwait has decided to indefinitely suspend all direct commercial flights from India starting 12.01am on Saturday, April 24.

The country’s Directorate of Civil Aviation issued a circular to airlines on Friday, April 23, stating that the restrictions were being imposed on the advice of health authorities in Kuwait who were monitoring the Covid-19 situation globally.

All passengers arriving from India either directly or via another country will be banned from entering unless they have spent at least 14 days outside of India, the circular added.

الطيران المدني : منع الرحلات التجارية المباشرة القادمة من الهند اعتبارا من السبت الموافق 2021/4/24 حتى اشعار آخر . pic.twitter.com/lJuhqo0ypS

— الطيران المدني (@Kuwait_DGCA) April 23, 2021

Exemptions to the flight and entry ban of passengers from India will apply to Kuwaiti citizens, their first degree relatives (husband-wife-children) and their domestic workers, who will be allowed to enter Kuwait.

The operations of freight flight between India and Kuwait will remain unaffected by this directive.

There has been a record spike in infections within India over the past few days prompting other GCC countries to adopt similar precautionary measures.

UAE
The UAE’s General Authority of Civil Aviation and the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) said on Friday that entry from India will be suspended for all incoming flights on national and foreign carriers, as well as those carrying transit passengers, with the exception of transit flights coming to the UAE and heading onward to India. This decision includes the entry of travelers who were in India in the last 14 days prior to coming to the UAE, reported state-run news agency WAM.

Read: Covid-19: Flights from India to the UAE to be suspended for 10 days

Flights between the two countries will continue to operate allowing the transport of passengers from the UAE to India. It will also allow the transfer of exempted individuals from India to the UAE. These exemptions apply to UAE citizens, diplomatic missions appointed by the two countries, official delegations, those on business men chartered flights, and those holding golden residency, provided that they undertake preventive measures that include quarantine for 10 days and a PCR test at the airport, as well as on the fourth and eighth days following entry into the country. Moreover, the required PCR test period has been reduced from 72 hours to 48 hours prior to travel from accredited laboratories that issue test results carrying a QR code.

The authority also confirmed that it is required for those coming from India through other countries to stay in those countries for at least 14 days before being allowed to enter the country, starting from 23:59 on Saturday April 24, 2021. These regulations will apply for a period of 10 days, which can be extended, while cargo flights continue to operate between the two countries.

Bahrain
The Indian embassy in Bahrain tweeted that the entry rules for those arriving from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh will be revised with effect from April 27 2021. All passengers arriving from these countries must carry negative PCR test report with a QR code conducted within 48 hours before departure.

Bahrain has announced revised International arrival procedures w.e.f. 27 April 2021. All passengers arriving from India must carry negative PCR test report with a QR code conducted within 48 hours before departure. All other existing travel-related procedures remain unchanged. pic.twitter.com/DGiYEpby0w

— India in Bahrain (@IndiaInBahrain) April 23, 2021

Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia will continue with its ban on flights from 20 countries when it resumes international travel on May 17, national airline Saudia said last week.

Read: Saudi to retain ban on 20 countries including UAE, India and UK when international flights resume in May

The 20 countries from where entry will be banned include the UAE, Germany, the US, the UK, South Africa, France, Egypt, Lebanon, India, Pakistan, Argentina, Brazil, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey.