Dubai: Indian expat stranded in India can start to return to the UAE from Sunday as part of a new 15-day agreement between the two countries.
The first flight, an Air India special from New Delhi, will land in Sharjah around 10.40am on Sunday. Flights from both Air India and Air India Express will be landing in Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while Spice Jet has announced flights to Ras Al Khaimah.
Press Trust of India (PTI) tweeted on Saturday that Indian low-cost airline SpiceJet would also operate passenger flights from New Delhi, Mumbai, Kozhikode and Kochi to Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE between July 12-26 for eligible ICA-approved UAE residents.
These are the first flights that will return to the UAE from India since March 19.
Emirates
Meanwhile, Emirates announced it would be operating special repatriation flights to five Indian cities between July 12-26 to help Indians stranded in UAE to return home.
The flights will be operated to Bengaluru, New Delhi and Kochi, twice daily to each destination, to Mumbai thrice daily and to Thiruvananthapuram once a day between July 12-26.
Flights to Bengaluru and Mumbai are subject to state government approvals.
Flights can be booked on emirates.com, through travel agents, Emirates’ sales offices and the contact centre. Passengers must meet all the entry requirements of the destination to be allowed to board the flights.
Flights from Dubai to India
Only Indian citizens stranded in the UAE will be allowed to fly from Dubai to the five Indian destinations.
Flights from India to Dubai
These flights will be available for UAE nationals and residents with prior entry approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDFRA) for residents of Dubai and ICA approval for residents of other emirates of the UAE.
All passengers travelling from airports in India to Dubai are also required to carry a negative Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) certificate, issued by a laboratory authorised by the Government of India to be accepted on these flights. Certificates must be issued no more than 96 hours before departure.
More information for returning UAE residents can be found at https://www.emirates.com/ae/english/help/flying-to-and-from-dubai/
Etihad
Etihad Airways will resume a limited number of special flights from Abu Dhabi to six Indian gateways; Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Mumbai, between July 15-26.
Mumbai flights will be daily, Delhi will be six times a week, Chennai and Bengaluru five times a week, Kochi twice weekly and Hyderabad once a week.
All eligible passengers travelling from India to Abu Dhabi must possess the relevant UAE entry approvals set by the government of Abu Dhabi. Passengers travelling to India must adhere to guidelines set by the government of India, and are also requested to arrive at Abu Dhabi Airport a minimum of four hours prior to departure to undertake mandatory rapid testing in Terminal 1A before check-in.
Air Arabia
Air Arabia will also be operating special scheduled flights from Sharjah to India. These special flights are dedicated to carrying Indian passengers residing in the UAE back home.
They will fly from Sharjah to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Coimbatore, New Delhi, Kannur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram.
Bookings can be done through the Air Arabia website, contact centre or partner travel agents. Passengers holding a credit voucher can utilise their credit as a payment towards the new booking by calling the contact centre on 06-5580000.
Flights are reserved for Indian nationals only.
Passengers must arrive at the airport four hours prior to departure.
Passengers must wear medical masks and gloves at the airport, on board the plane, and in transit.
