Vande Bharat Mission’s evacuation flights will allow only UAE residents with ICA approvals to return to the UAE.
UAE residents currently stranded in India will be allowed to fly back to the UAE on Vande Bharat flights operated by Air India and Air India Express as per an agreement signed between the civil aviation authorities of the two countries.
Vande Bharat Mission’s evacuation flights will allow only UAE residents with ICA approvals to return to the UAE on the outward journey from India to UAE, India’s national airline Air India tweeted on Thursday.
“This arrangement will be operational for a period of 15 days from July 12 to July 26, 2020,” said the airline in a tweet.
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Commenting on the re-launch of flights to the UAE, an Air India official in Dubai told Khaleej Times, “The flights to the UAE will operate from all cities from where Vande Bharat Mission repatriation flights are operating.”
The returning passengers must meet the following criteria, the airline said:
1. Have a valid ICA / GDRFA General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs approval
2. Passengers are required to carry Covid-19 negative test result of the PCR test conducted not more than 96 hours before departure.
3. Submit health declaration form (click here)
4. Download the Covid-19 – DXB Smart App.
5. Submit quarantine undertaking form (click here)
Travel agents in the UAE told Khaleej Times they have begun accepting bookings on these sectors.
Afi Ahmed, the managing director of Smart Travels said, “We have started taking Air India and Air India Express PNR bookings. Most of the passenger interest is coming from the Kerala to UAE sector as a majority of UAE expatriates are in Kerala, making the passenger load extremely high. The state is also home to four airports.” Ahmed added, “Booking interest is also high for UAE carriers such as Fly Dubai and Air Arabia.”
