India’s Chennai airport is now open after a four-month suspension. Since March, only domestic and repatriation flights have been allowed to operate at Chennai. However, the airport has now resumed international flights. This also included services to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. The agreement comes as part of an air corridor that Indian authorities have established with the UAE. Meanwhile, here are 5 Things To Keep In Mind While Taking A Flight During Pandemic.
Rules For Travellers Arriving In Chennai Airport
To begin with, travellers flying to Chennai must register with the Tamil Nadu state website to obtain an e-pass. The pass will then be checked by the respective airline prior to boarding.
As Chennai airport resumes services, a host of safety and precautions have been put in place. These include isolation rooms, increased disinfection procedures and social distancing measures. All travellers flying to Chennai will undergo thermal screening. Mandatory Covid test will be carries out on travellers arriving from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi. Meanwhile, all other travellers subject to random testing upon arrival.
Upon arrival, travellers must quarantine for 14 days. The Indian government also added that those with negative test results will be allowed to quarantine at home. However, an update from the Tamil Nadu state government about the same is awaited. Travellers who have left the state for less than 48 hours are exempt from quarantine rules. However, the rules will be applicable if they show Covid-like symptoms. On that note, here are COVID-19 Rules You Must Know For Traveling To These 10 Countries.
Flights From Chennai To UAE
Etihad is currently operating special services to Chennai from Abu Dhabi. However, UAE’s national carrier plans to resume to and fro services from Chennai from 1 September. All passengers flying via Etihad must carry a negative Covid-19 test result before travelling. On the other hand, Emirates has operated several repatriation flights to Chennai. However, the airline is yet to announce when normal passenger services will resume. Meanwhile, SpiceJet To Begin Flights To London From September 1.
FlyDubai is likely to resume flights to Chennai in August. The budget airline plans to operate three flights per week, as per information from RoutesOnline. However, this is subject to change. Air Arabia is set to resume services to Chennai from Sharjah to Chennai from September 2. Other airlines including Air India Express, GoAir and IndiGo, have also announced schedules for flights from Chennai to Dubai, Sharjah or Abu Dhabi.
Covid cases in Tamil Nadu are on a steady rise. The state recorded 5,918 positive test results on August 16. India has the third highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the world. The country has witnessed more than 50,000 virus-related deaths. In other news, UAE Extends Grace Period By 3 Months For Residency Violators; All Over Stay Fines Waived Off.