India on Monday announced a temporary suspension of flights from the United Kingdom amid concern over new coronavirus strain.
Government halted flights from and to the UK from December 22, midnight till December 31.
“Considering the prevailing situation in UK. Govt. of India has decided that all flights originating from UK to India to be suspended till 31st December 2020 (23.59 hours),” Ministry of Civil Aviation tweeted.
“This suspension to start w.e.f. 23.59 hours, 22nd December 2020. Consequently flights from India to UK shall stand temporarily suspended during above said period,” the Ministry said.
“As a measure of abundant precaution, passengers arriving from UK in all transit flights (flights that have taken off or flights which are reaching India before 22nd Dec at 23.59 hrs) should be subject to mandatory RT-PCR test on arrival at the airports concerned,” the Ministry added.
Several countries including France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Italy have announced bans of flights from the UK on Sunday and others were considering to follow similar action, in a bid to block a new strain of coronavirus.
