246 arrive from UK as India lifts flight ban; 14-day isolation mandatory

An Air India flight from London landed in Delhi on Friday (January 8) with 246 passengers on board, after Union Civil Aviation Ministry lifted the ban on flights to and from the United Kingdom (UK) which was imposed on December 23 last year after a fast-spreading strain of the coronavirus emerged in Britain.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that all passengers arriving from the UK will have to undergo seven days of institutional quarantine and another seven days of home isolation even if they test negative for the coronavirus.

The number of people who have tested positive in India for the new variant has reached 82, including 13 in the national capital. Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri said the ban has been revoked temporarily and air travel to Britain has been allowed till January 23. During this period, 30 flights will operate every week – 15 each by Indian and UK carriers.

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Passengers have been asked to keep a gap of at least 10 hours between their arrival from UK and the connecting flight to their cities.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal further urged the Union government to extend the flights ban till January 31 because of the extremely volatile COVID situation in the UK.

“The Centre has decided to lift the ban and start UK flights. In view of the extremely serious situation in UK, I would urge central government to extend the ban till January 31. With great difficulty, people have brought COVID situation in control. UK’s COVID situation is very serious. Now, why lift ban and expose our people to risk?” Kejriwal tweeted.