Abu Dhabi: Passengers flying directly from Kolkata to Dubai are exempted from rapid PCR tests at the airport, according to Emirates, flydubai, Air India and IndiGo airlines.
Emirates, FlyDubai, Air India and Indigo airlines did not specify any particular reason for easing the rapid test norm for passengers travelling from Kolkata to Dubai.
The withdrawal of the rapid PCR test within six hours before departure from Kolkata has been introduced in the past few days. It could be a pilot phase for further relaxations, an Emirates airline executive told Khaleej Times.
Dubai-based Emirates airlines on its website for travel from India noted ‘all cities except Kolkata’ need to have a valid negative PCR test result within 48 hours and another rapid test within six hours of departure.
The Dubai-based airline FlyDubai on its website said passengers with the exception of those travelling from Kolkata in India must undergo a rapid PCR test based on molecular diagnostic testing intended for the qualitative detection of nucleic acid for SARS-COV-2 viral RNA) at the departure airport.
Indian carrier, Air India Express said in its travel update that passengers who have taken both the doses of COVID-19 vaccination in India are exempted from taking RT-PCR tests prior to their departure to India from the UAE.
On February 14, India cancelled the mandatory pre-travel RT-PCR test for passengers arriving from 87 countries. The United Arab Emirates is not included among the countries.
India-UAE flight fare drops drastically
Air ticket fares from major Indian cities to UAE has dropped drastically after a five months high.
One-way fare from New Delhi-Dubai route can now be bought for less than Rs 14,000, down from Rs 40,000 a month ago.
In the month of December 2021, India-UAE airfare was over Rs 37,000 (1,814 Dirham). But now the fare from India to UAE cost about Rs 13,660 (Dirham 665) for one-way.
International restrictions
The suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger services in India has been extended till February 28. Flights under the air bubble arrangement would be unaffected, according to the country’s aviation authorities.
To restrict and control the spread of COVID-19, India stopped foreign flights in 2020. However, flight limitations were eventually relaxed as part of air bubble agreements with specific nations.
