India has delayed the resumption of scheduled international flights effective from December 15, 2021, due to the emerging threat from the new Coronavirus variant Omicron.
According to the civil aviation authorities, the first case of the Omicron variant was detected earlier today in Delhi, with a total tally of 05 new cases in India. Omicron was first detected in Africa weeks ago, since then cases of Omicron are being reported from countries including the UK, Sri Lanka, Japan, South Korea, and Australia, among others.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday 1st December delayed the resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger airline services to or from India, mentioning that the situation was being closely watched in consultation with all stakeholders and adding that the date of resumption of international flights will be notified soon.
Following the outbreak of the Omicron variant the countries where it has begun spreading are imposing lockdown restrictions to contain it. The US, Canada, UK, and many other EU countries have started prohibiting travelers from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Malawi, and Botswana. Japan on the other hand has stopped international travel entirely.
— DGCA (@DGCAIndia) December 1, 2021
