Hong Kong Suspends Air India Flights For Fifth Time Over COVID-19 Cases

Hong Kong Airport Authority on Friday suspends all Air India (AI) flights from Delhi for the fifth time after few passengers tested positive for Coronavirus at the airport.

The ban was imposed for 14 days from 20th November to 03rd December 2020.

“A few passengers on a Delhi-Hong Kong flight of Air India earlier this week tested positive for Covid-19 post-arrival. Consequently, the airline’s Delhi-Hong Kong flights have been banned till December 3,” news agency PTI quoted the official.

As per the travel guidelines of the Hong Kong government, passengers from India can arrive in Hong Kong only if they have a COVID-19 negative certificate from a test done within 72 hours prior to the journey, according to rules issued by the Hong Kong government in July. 

Air India has been barred from operating b/w Delhi & Hong Kong from 20th Nov till 3rd Dec. Passengers with Covid Negative test reports done 72 hrs prior to departure, from Labs recognized by ICMR, are allowed to board flights to Hong Kong as required by the authorities: Air India https://t.co/u4c8Qjno2o

— ANI (@ANI) November 20, 2020

A pre-flight COVID-19 negative certificate is mandatory for all passengers from Bangladesh, India, Ethiopia, France, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, South Africa, the UK, and the US.

Another mandatory coronavirus test is carried out for passengers after landing in Hong Kong and reports of this test may be at variance from the reports of tests conducted 72 hours before taking the flight, reported PTI.

Earlier, Air India’s Delhi-Hong Kong flights were banned from August 18-31, September 20-October 3 and October 17-30, and on its Mumbai-Hong Kong flights during October 28-November 10, as reported by PTI.

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