Hong Kong Bans Vande Bharat Air India Flights In August Alleging Poor Covid-19 Testing

Even as several destinations lift their borders around the world, it is getting increasing difficult to control the pandemic. Which is why, countries are tightening up rules and regulations regarding international travel. In one such move, Hong Kong has banned Vande Bharat Air India Flights, apparently because of poor Covid-19 testing. Read on to know more.

Hong Kong Bans Vande Bharat Air India Flights Till August 31

Honk Kong has banned Air India flights operating under the Vande Bharat Mission, owing to poor Covid-19 testing. Apparently, several reports state that 11 people aboard an Air India flight tested positive after landing at Hong Kong on August 14. Considering this, the authorities restricted flights by the national carrier, scheduled from August 18. Now, this ban will reportedly last till August 31.

#FlyAI : #ImportantUpdate
Due to restrictions imposed by Hong Kong Authorities,
AI 310/315, Delhi – Hong Kong – Delhi of 18th August 2020 stands postponed. Next update in this regard will be intimated soon. Passengers may please contact Air India Customer Care for assistance.

— Air India (@airindia) August 17, 2020

Also Read: People Must Not Pay Higher Fares For Vande Bharat Flights When Booking With Travel Agents: Govt

Air India Flights Scheduled For August End

For now, Air India flights to Hong Kong are nonoperational. However, Vande Bharat Air India flights are set to fly to several other destinations for the remainder of Phase 5. These include London, Kuwait, Vancouver, Sharjah, Auckland, Dubai and Sydney. Meanwhile, Air India has cancelled flights to 5 European destinations due to low demand and loss of revenue.

Also Read: Air India To Send Staff On Leave Without Pay For The Next 5 Years

Phase 6 Of Vande Bharat Mission Will Begin From September 1

The government of India had launched the Vande Bharat Mission to rescue stranded Indians from other countries. The Mission started in May this year and is currently under its 5^th Phase. The 6^th Phase of the rescue project will be operational from September 1 to October 24. Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri has tweeted that flights to new destinations will ‘further widen the geographic reach’ of the Mission. Meanwhile, here’s why flights are still one of the safest modes of travelling during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Commercial international flights in India are banned till August 31. However, repatriation and cargo flights are still operating. Also, the government has allowed Indians to travel to select countries, with which the country shares air bubbles. We advise people to avoid unnecessary travel and only step out for compelling reasons. Stay safe!