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India extends international commercial air travel ban till July 31

India's aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) yesterday announced that International air travel to and from India will remain suspended till July 31. The circular released by DGCA stated, 'In partial modification of circular dated 26-06-2020, the competent authority has extended the validity of circular issued regarding Scheduled International commercial passenger services to & from India till 2359 hrs IST of 31st July 2020. This restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA.' Just last week DGCA had announced that international air travel will remain suspended till July 15 and yesterday the DGCA extended this till the end of July. An official in DGCA on the condition of anonymity said, 'This decision has been taken after assessing the COVID situation in the country. Now the cases have started rising by almost 20,000 per day and it doesn't look like the situation will improve till July 31.' Anticipating a further rise in cases of coronavirus the Ministry of Civil Aviation has taken this decision. However, this circular also mentions, 'International Scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on case to case basis.' This refers to finalizing air bubbles or air bridges with some countries. A senior official in Ministry of Civil Aviation told Times Now, 'negotiations are underway with a few countries but nothing has been finalised yet.' Indian Govt has received requests from concerned authorities in several countries including the US, France, Germany among others asking if they can be allowed to participate in the transportation of passengers along the line being conducted by Air India under Vande Bharat Mission. As per the information provided by Civil Aviation Minister, Hardeep Puri India began Vande Bharat Mission to bring back around 190K stranded citizens but since 6th May nearly 445K people have already returned to India. Hardeep Singh Puri also wrote on Twitter, “We began VBM to bring back about 190K stranded citizens. But when numbers grew manifold we ramped up the mission. Since 6th May, nearly 445K people have returned on VBM (170K) & chartered flights including foreign charters (275K). More are expected to return in Phase-4.”

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England unlocks travel with 59 countries

England has unlocked travel to and from 59 countries by lifting quarantine requirements, but visitors from the United States will still be subject to restrictions, the UK government said Friday. Officials have revealed a new "travel corridor" list, with travelers from 59 nations -- including France, Germany, Italy and Spain -- and 14 British Overseas Territories no longer having to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. The list, which comes into effect on July 10, will open foreign travel to English holidaymakers after four months of lockdown, just in time for the peak travel period, provided there are no restrictions in place at the destinations. "This applies to all travel to England, by train, ferry, coach, air or any other route," the statement added. For now, the so-called travel corridors will only apply to England, with information for travel into Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be published in due course, the UK government said. Here are the countries and territories that are part of the "travel corridor" list: Andorra, Germany, New Zealand, Antigua and Barbuda, Greece, Norway, Aruba, Greenland, Poland, Australia, Grenada, Réunion, Austria, Guadeloupe, San Marino, Bahamas, Hong Kong, Serbia, Barbados, Hungary, Seychelles, Belgium, Iceland, South Korea, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Jamaica, St Barthélemy, Curaçao, Japan, St Kitts and Nevis, Cyprus, Liechtenstein, St Lucia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, St Pierre and Miquelon, Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Dominica, Macau, Taiwan, Faroe Islands, Malta, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji, Mauritius, Turkey, Finland, Monaco, Vatican City, France, Netherlands, Vietnam, French Polynesia, New Caledonia

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Goa reopens for domestic tourists today, check guidelines

One of the most travelled and preferred beach getaway, Goa has been opened for domestic tourist from Friday (July 3, 2020) amid the coronavirus pandemic. Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar gave the information and said that over 250 hotels will resume operations in the state. "We have decided to allow domestic travellers to enter Goa from July 2 onwards provided they comply with certain norms," Ajgaonkar said. The Goa government has issued guidelines and regulations in three stages: before travel, during travel and on arrival. Here's the full guidelines for tourists travelling to Goa. (1) Pre-booking hotel is mandatory. Only the hotels with the highest safety and hygiene stands have been allowed to open. (2) Fill up a self-declaration form which will be available at the pre-booked hotel. (3) Quarantine upon arrival is not required (carry a COVID-19 negative certificate from last 48 hours or get tested in Goa at your own cost). Travel: Tourists can enter by road (Dodamarg, Patradevi, Keri, Mollem, Pollem), air (Dabolim International Airport) and train (Madgaon, Thivim and Vasco da Gama). On arrival: (1.) At every respective entry point, tourists, upon arrival, will undergo basic screening through a thermal gun. (2.) Get mandatory documents checked bat tourism kiosks (see before travel). (3.) Tourists’ swab sample will be collected at state entry points; those with COVID-19 certificate can skip the next two steps. (4.) Check-in at your accommodation and stay in isolation for two weeks until the result comes. (5.) Your results will come in 1-2 days. If negative, you can stay in Goa; however, if positive, institution quarantine will be required. Over 250 hotels across Goa reopened on Thursday after state government’s order. Goa’s current coronavirus count stands at nearly 1,400.

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All Monuments in India to Open to Public ‘With Complete Precautions’ From July 6

New Delhi: In a huge development for the travel and tourism department, the central government on Thursday announced that all monuments across India will reopen on July 6, including those where religious events take place. “I have decided that all monuments can be opened with complete precautions from 6th July,” announced Union Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, adding that the decision will also be taken in compliance with individual state and district administrations. As many as 3,691 ASI monuments, including popular tourist spots like Taj Mahal and Red Fort, closed their gates on March 17 due to the deadly outbreak of coronavirus infection. Once open to the general public, they will follow strict safety protocols and social distancing norms as issued by the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Earlier in June, the culture ministry had reopened 820 centrally-protected religious monuments like Tirumala Tirupati Balaji in Andhra Pradesh, as part of the Centre’s phased exit from shutdown, better known as ‘Unlock 1’. Official sources have already said that wearing of masks might be made the norm at such sites for visitors. A detailed SOP will be issued by the central ministry in the upcoming days.

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Thailand prepares to reopen five islands to tourists

Five of Thailand’s popular islands are slated to welcome international visitors in August: Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Phangan. Thailand allowed international flights (though not for leisure travel) from 1 July, after imposing a ban on 3 April to help curb coronavirus contagion. Thailand is among the 15 countries that the European Union just marked as safe travel destinations for their low infection rate and adequate social distancing measures. Domestic tourism is expected to pick up this month with incentives including flight and hotel discounts, as the country enters the fifth phase of easing its lockdown. More destinations will open up for international visitors based on how these five islands in the provinces of Phuket, Krabi and Surat Thani fare with domestic travellers this month. Across the country, hotels and restaurants are now open, with bars and alcoholic sales permitted only until midnight; patrons are expected to use the government-backed Thai Chana app to check in and out of these establishments. Shopping malls, stores, exhibition centres, sauna and massage establishments can operate until 10pm. Currently, the country reports a handful of new cases, and overseas travel is permitted for business travellers, skilled workers, relatives of Thai residents and visitors for medical treatment (barring coronavirus). The government has introduced a new Safety and Health Administration (SHA) certificate that recognises tourism businesses including hotels, spas and eateries that follow the government’s COVID-19 guidelines. Apart from using masks, washing hands frequently and refraining from hugging vulnerable populations, visitors are encouraged to say hello with the Wai greeting, similar to the Indian namaste. Nearly 40 million foreign tourists were expected to visit Thailand this year; the anticipated arrivals are now pegged at eight million.

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India in talks with US, Canada, others on establishing air travel bubbles: AAI

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had on June 20 said the government will start thinking on the resumption of scheduled international passenger flights in mid-July, when it expects the domestic air traffic to reach 50-55 per cent of the levels before the coronavirus. India is in talks with the US and Canada and the countries in European and Gulf regions on establishing individual bilateral bubbles which will allow airlines of each country in the pact to operate international flights, said Arvind Singh, Chairman, Airports Authority of India (AAI), on Thursday. The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) had on June 23 said India is considering establishing “individual bilateral bubbles” with the US, the UK, Germany and France. Singh said, “This morning, I took a brief from the key point person (from the MOCA) who is negotiating with the countries, and he said that we are in constant touch. We are working on a consensus to restart the international flights. This is going to be through air bubbles.” “Talks are mainly going on between India and the US, India and Canada, India and Europe and India and the Gulf countries to start flights in these bubbles,” he said at a webinar called “Reposing the faith in flying” organised by the GMR group. Scheduled international passenger flights remain suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Singh said the MOCA official has informed him that the discussion with the countries is at a “very advanced” level and the effort is to restart international flights at the earliest. “I am sure there would be a positive outcome of the talks with the US, Canada and with the Gulf countries and the negotiations are going on,” he noted. The EU has presently banned the flights from India as the number of coronavirus cases are rising in the country, Singh said. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had on June 20 said the government will start thinking on the resumption of scheduled international passenger flights in mid-July, when it expects the domestic air traffic to reach 50-55 per cent of the levels before the coronavirus. After nearly two months of suspension to combat the coronavirus outbreak, the government resumed scheduled domestic passenger flights on May 25. However, it had then allowed the airlines to operate the maximum 33 per cent of their pre-COVID flights. The MOCA increased the limits on June 26 from 33 per cent to 45 per cent. The MOCA on June 23 had said, “As we contemplate further opening up in response to demands, we are looking at the prospect of establishing individual bilateral bubbles, India-US, India-France, India-Germany, India-UK. These are all destinations where demand for travel has not diminished. Final decisions pursuant to negotiations are expected to be taken soon.” “We have received requests from authorities in several countries including the US, France, Germany among others requesting that their air carriers be allowed to participate in the transportation of passengers along the line being conducted by Air India under Vande Bharat Mission. These requests are being examined,” it added. Air India started international chartered flights under the Vande Bharat Mission from May 6 to help people stranded due to the pandemic reach their destinations. The MOCA’s June 23 statement had come after the US Department of Transport (DOT) said on June 22 that it appears that Air India may be using its passenger repatriation charter flights as a way of circumventing the government of India-imposed prohibition of all scheduled international services. “We are taking this action (of allowing only those Air India flights from July 22 that have DOT’s approval) because the Government of India has impaired the operating rights of the US carriers and has engaged in discriminatory and restrictive practices with respect to the US carrier services to and from India,” the DOT had said.

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