Flights To UAE From India And 15 Other Countries Remain Suspended, GCAA Confirms

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on Wednesday confirms that international flights to UAE from India and 15 others will remain suspended until 31st July.

The list of other countries includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Liberia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uganda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Zambia.

“The current development on the COVID- 19 pandemic leads the UAE to impose new flight and passengers’ restrictions. The UAE government is closely monitoring the situation and will provide further updates and instructions as necessary,” a GCAA circular said.

Also Read: India-UAE Travel: When Will The Ban End? And Other FAQs Answered

Inbound travel from South Asian countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka has been suspended since April 24.

It must be noted that last week Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi-based airline announced that the passenger flights from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh would be suspended until July 31.

Who Can Travel To UAE?

Only a select few categories of travelers have been left out of the scope of this ban, provided they adhere to COVID-19 protocols.

• UAE Nationals and Citizens
• Holders of UAE Golden Visas and Silver Visa
• Members of Diplomatic Missions accredited by both countries
• Official Delegates
• Those travelling on business/private planes.*

*As per the guidelines by the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) only 8 passengers on business aircraft and private jets will be allowed irrespective of their actual capacity.

It is worth mentioning that thousands of UAE expatriates, stranded in these countries, are desperately waiting to return to their jobs and families.

Also Read: Japan Airlines Announces Revised Schedule For Flights Between India and Japan