“EK-501 Emirates plane operated from Mumbai airport to Dubai with one passenger. The flight took off at 4:30 am IST,” said Mumbai Airport sources …reports Asian Lite News
In view of the COVID-triggered restrictions on Indian passengers arriving United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai-bound Emirates Airlines’ 350-seated Boeing (B-777) operated with only one passenger from Mumbai on May 19.
“EK-501 Emirates plane operated from Mumbai airport to Dubai with one passenger. The flight took off at 4:30 am IST,” Mumbai Airport sources told ANI.
“Only the following categories of passengers will be allowed entry to Dubai: members of diplomatic missions, holders of UAE golden visa, UAE nationals, passengers exempted and/or granted permission to enter the UAE by the appropriate authorities as well as passengers travelling on a business flight who have a valid COVID-19 PCR test certificate,” Emirates airlines’ website said.
It added: “All passengers who have travelled from or transited through India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the last 14 days will not be accepted for travel to or transfer through Dubai from any other point except for returning UAE nationals.”
Upon contacting the airlines, they refrained from making a comment on the issue.
Earlier on April 24, the UAE had announced a ban on people travelling from India after a sudden increase in the COVID-19 cases for Indian passengers. The ban has been extended from 24 May to 14 June. (ANI)
This brings the emirate’s green list to 29 countries. Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Spain, and Moldova are the other countries included in the list…reports Asian Lite News
Abu Dhabi has added six new countries to its travel green list, including Germany and the US, the city’s Department of Culture and Tourism said, the Arab News reported.
This brings the emirate’s green list to 29 countries. Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Spain, and Moldova are the other countries included in the list.
According to the report, passengers arriving from these countries do not need to quarantine upon arrival in Abu Dhabi, and will only be asked to take a PCR test at the airport.
Those coming from countries not on the list must quarantine for ten days and will have to show a negative PCR test to board a flight to the UAE capital.
The Ministry of Health and Prevention announced 1,512 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the UAE to 557,619. The ministry conducted 178,528 additional COVID-19 tests over the past 24 hours.
The ministry also announced 3 deaths due to COVID-19 complications, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 1,654.
It called on all members of the society to cooperate with health authorities, adhere to the instructions and physical distance to ensure the health and safety of all.
MoHAP also noted that an additional 1,481 individuals had fully recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 537,531.
Meanwhile, 61,323 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were given to the residents and citizens of UAE in the past 24 hours.
The total number of doses provided up to Monday stands at 12,165,848 with a rate of vaccine distribution of 123.01 doses per 100 people.
Bangladesh on Saturday detected its first cases of a highly infectious coronavirus variant first identified in India…Reports Asian Lite News
The Bangladesh government has banned the entry of travellers from Nepal as its neighbouring countries, including India, were reeling from a deadly second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) made the announcement on Sunday saying no passenger from Nepal will be allowed to enter Bangladesh from Monday to limit the spread of the Covid-19, reports Xinhua news agency.
Bangladesh on Saturday detected its first cases of a highly infectious coronavirus variant first identified in India, weeks after it imposed a ban on the entry of travellers from the neighbouring country via land ports on April 25.
The air travel between the two countries was suspended from April 14 following a devastating rise in Covid-19 infections in India.
After weeks of suspension due to the pandemic, international flight operations to and from Bangladesh resumed in a limited scale on May 1.
Arrivals from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka will be suspended for all incoming passengers on national and foreign carriers, as well as those carrying transit passengers, starting from 23:59 on Wednesday, 12th May, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced it will bar entry of travellers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka from May 12 amid a sudden surge in COVID-19 infections in these countries.
According to General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), the entry from these four countries will be suspended for all incoming passengers on national and foreign carriers, as well as those carrying transit passengers, starting from 23:59 on Wednesday, 12th May, 2021, the state news agency WAM reported.
“Flights between the four countries will continue to allow the transport of passengers from the UAE to Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka,” the NCEMA said.
“This decision also includes extending the suspension of entry for travellers who were in these four countries in the 14-day period prior to arrival in the UAE,” it added.
Flights between these countries and the UAE will continue to operate, allowing the transportation of passengers from the UAE to those countries. It will also allow the transfer of some exempted groups from the four aforementioned countries to the UAE, with strict enforcement of precautionary measures.
These groups include UAE citizens, diplomats appointed by the UAE in these countries, official delegations, businessmen’s chartered flights, and those holding golden residency visa, provided that they undertake preventive measures that include quarantine for 10 days and a PCR test at the airport, as well as on the fourth and eighth days following the entry into the country.
Moreover, the validity of PCR test period has been reduced from 72 hours to 48 hours prior to travel from accredited laboratories that issue test results carrying a QR code.
The authority also confirmed that it is required for those coming from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka through other countries to stay in those countries for at least 14 days before being allowed to enter the UAE.
However, Cargo flights will continue to operate between the UAE and these countries.
The authority called upon all travellers affected by the decision to follow up with the relevant airlines to change or reschedule their flights and to ensure their safe return to their final destinations without delay.
The UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced 1,507 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the country to 537,524.
According to the ministry, the infected individuals are from various nationalities, are in a stable condition, and receiving the necessary care.
The ministry also announced two deaths due to COVID-19 complications, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 1,615.
The ministry called on all members of the society to cooperate with health authorities, adhere to the instructions and physical distance to ensure the health and safety of all. It also noted that an additional 1,476 individuals had fully recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 517,805.
Meanwhile, the UAE has announced that 40,414 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered during the past 24 hours.
The total number of doses provided up to today stands at 11,186,348 with a rate of vaccine distribution of 113.10 doses per 100 people.
No passenger from Nepal will be allowed to enter Bangladesh from Monday to limit the spread of the Covid-19,said official…reports Asian Lite News
The Bangladesh government has banned the entry of travellers from Nepal as its neighbouring countries, including India, were reeling from a deadly second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) made the announcement on Sunday saying no passenger from Nepal will be allowed to enter Bangladesh from Monday to limit the spread of the Covid-19, reports Xinhua news agency.
Bangladesh on Saturday detected its first cases of a highly infectious coronavirus variant first identified in India, weeks after it imposed a ban on the entry of travellers from the neighbouring country via land ports on April 25.
The air travel between the two countries was suspended from April 14 following a devastating rise in Covid-19 infections in India.
After weeks of suspension due to thepandemic, international flight operations to and from Bangladesh resumed in a limited scale on May 1.
The government had previously said that the borders will re-open once the adult population has been vaccinated against the virus….reports Asian Lite News
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday said that the country’s borders will remain closed indefinitely amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Morrison said in a media interview that there is no “appetite” among Australians to re-open the country’s borders to international travellers as Covid-19 continues to spread throughout the world, reports Xinhua news agency.
“I don’t see an appetite for that at the moment,” he said.
“I think what we’re seeing at the moment is the appreciation of the people that the pandemic isn’t going anywhere.
“All I know is once you let it (Covid-19) back in again, you cannot get it out. You’ve crossed that threshold,” the Prime Minister added.
The government had previously said that the borders will re-open once the adult population has been vaccinated against the virus.
However, Morrison said that he could not guarantee that would be the case.
He said there was not yet “considerable clinical evidence that tells us transmission is preventable”.
“I think Australians want to ensure that the way we’re living at the moment is maintained.”
As of Sunday morning, there had been 2.63 million vaccines administered in Australia, while the overall Covid-19 caseload and death toll stood at 29,906 and 910, respectively.
The government initially planned to vaccinate the entire population by October but hopes were dashed after the early stages of the rollout were plagued by supply issues.
In the meantime, Morrison said the government was continuing to work on how vaccinated people could be given greater freedoms.
“The next big step that can be taken is that Australians who are vaccinated, based on clear evidence that this prevents transmissibility, are able to travel and return to Australia without having to hotel quarantine, and ideally we only have to engage in some sort of home quarantine of a less restrictive nature,” he said.
Australia Prime Minister Morrison said the National Security Committee of Cabinet agreed there was no need to extend the ban beyond the planned date of May 15…reports Asian Lite News
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday announced that the ban on travel from India would end on May 15, paving the way for thousands of Australians stranded in the Covid-battered country to return home.
The controversial ban, which was introduced in response to India’s ongoing coronavirus crisis, made it a criminal offence to try and enter Australia within 14 days of being in the country, reports Xinhua news agency.
Morrison said the National Security Committee of Cabinet agreed there was no need to extend the ban beyond the planned date of May 15.
“What we will be doing is receiving our first repatriation flight into the Northern Territory as part of the charter arrangements that we have with our airlines to bring back those first people from India at that time,” he said.
There are about 9,000 Australians who are stuck in India and want to come home.
Morrison said vulnerable people would be prioritised for places on board three repatriation flights set to take off from India before the end of May.
The flights will land in the Northern Territory with passengers to quarantine at the Howard Springs facility.
“Bringing back the most urgent of cases,” Morrison said.
“There will be rapid antigen testing put in place for everyone getting on the flights.”
Workers disinfect a piece of luggage at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, Sri Lanka
The curbs were applied until further notice following the guidelines received by the Health Ministry until the next evaluation,said official…reports Asian Lite News
The Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) on Thursday announced its decision to suspend all Indian travellers from entering the country with immediate effect in an effort to curb the spread of the Indian Covid-19 variant.
In a statement, CAASL Additional Director General P. A. Jayakantha said the restrictions were applied until further notice following the guidelines received by the Health Ministry until the next evaluation, reports the Daily Mirror newspaper.
He said the CAASL have directed all airlines to preventing disembarking Indian passengers.
Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka
The announcement comes as India is struggling to battle a second deadlier wave of the pandemic.
As of Thursday, India’s overall Covid-19 caseload and death toll stood at 2,10,77,410 and 2,30,168, respectively.
It has been 15 straight days that India has recorded more than three lakh cases daily, while the casualties have been over 3,000 deaths for nine consecutive days.
European Commission plans quarantine-free travel for inoculated visitors…reports Asian Lite News
The European Commission has called on the member states of the European Union (EU) to grant entry to travellers who are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and those coming from countries with a good epidemiological situation.
“The Commission proposes to allow entry to the EU for non-essential reasons not only for all persons coming from countries with a good epidemiological situation, but also all people who have received the last recommended dose of an EU-authorised vaccine,” the EU’s executive arm said in a statement on Monday.
It added that a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization should also be accepted, reports Xinhua news agency.
EU’s ‘Green Certificate’ for safe travel
Non-essential travel regardless of individual vaccination status is currently permitted from seven countries with a good epidemiological situation.
The Commission called for “continued vigilance” in view of the emergence of coronavirus variants of concern and proposed the use of a new “emergency brake mechanism,” which would limit the risk of such variants entering the EU.
The proposal will be discussed this week at the Council of the EU.
In March, the Commission proposed the adoption of a digital certificate that can prove that the holders are either Covid-19 negative, vaccinated or recovered from the disease.
The certificate system is being negotiated among EU institutions, and could be finalised by summer to salvage the bloc’s tourism industry.
Under the UK government’s road map, restrictions could be lifted with countries categorised as green, amber or red under a new traffic light system, reports Asian Lite News
Boris Johnson on Monday indicated that Britons will be able to resume “some” international travel from May 17, as the European Commission announced plans to reopen the bloc to tourists who have been fully vaccinated.
Speaking on a campaigning visit to Hartlepool, in the north of England, ahead of Thursday’s by-election, the prime minister warned that the UK government would continue to take a “cautious” approach to lifting coronavirus travel restrictions. But he said: “I think there will be some openings-up on the 17th.”
Johnson’s comments came as Brussels said on Monday that foreign travellers who had had both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine and were arriving from countries with a “good epidemiological situation” should be allowed to travel across Europe without any restrictions.
“In addition, the Commission proposes to raise, in line with the evolution of the epidemiological situation in the EU, the threshold related to the number of new Covid-19 cases used to determine a list of countries from which all travel should be permitted”, the commission said in a statement.
EU President Ursula von der Leyen
Ursula von der Leyen, the commission’s president, welcomed the recommendations but argued that an “EU emergency brake mechanism” may be needed in case new coronavirus variants begin to emerge.
Johnson said the British government remained concerned about variants from abroad, stating: “I don’t think that the people of this country want to see an influx of disease from anywhere else. I certainly don’t and we have got to be very, very tough.”
Under the UK government’s road map, restrictions on international travel could be lifted from May 17 at the earliest, with countries categorised as green, amber or red under a new traffic light system.
All holidays are banned at present, with only essential travel permitted. Individuals returning to the UK are expected to fill in a passenger locator form, take a coronavirus test up to three days before arriving into the country and quarantine for 10 days.
Under the new traffic light system, expected to be confirmed later this week, travellers returning to the UK from “green” countries will not need to isolate or quarantine but will need to take a coronavirus test before departing and carry a passenger locator form.
UK residents returning from “red countries” will be subject to extensive coronavirus testing and be required to quarantine in a government-approved hotel for 10 days following their arrival.
Alan French, chief executive of holiday operator Thomas Cook, told the BBC that by June, he expected that “most of the countries that the UK goes on holiday to” would be open to international visitors.
“We are expecting Portugal, Spain, Greece, Croatia and so forth to be open, it would be nice if Turkey was open”, he said, adding: “When we look at what is going on in those countries, both in terms of infection rates and how they are preparing for holidaymakers, I think there is great progress being made.”
Recommended Covid-19 vaccines
One vaccine shot leaves many vulnerable to Covid variants, UK study finds
However, a cross-party group of more than 60 MPs and peers on the All-Party Parliamentary Group on coronavirus have urged the government to “discourage all international leisure travel” this year, in order to avoid the spread of variants.
“We wouldn’t want . . . for the sake of one summer holiday us [to] go backwards and have a further wave and a further lockdown”, Layla Moran, the Liberal Democrat chair of the group, said on Monday.
Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer also called for a more “careful” approach and criticised the government’s approach to international travel thus far.
“What we can’t have is a repeat of last summer, where the lists were chopping and changing on a daily or even weekly basis.”
