After a gap of more than five months in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Canada has finally allowed direct flights from India starting Monday.
Announcing the decision to lift the ban, Transport Canada on Sunday in a tweet said: "Beginning at 00:01 EDT on September 27, direct flights from India can land in Canada with additional public health measures in place."
"Travellers must have proof of a negative COVID-19 molecular test from the approved Genestrings Laboratory at the Delhi airport taken within 18 hours of the scheduled departure of their direct flight to Canada," it added.
India's high commissioner to Canada Ajay Bisaria described the move as a "decisive step towards normalising air mobility" between the two nations.
"@airindiain and @AirCanada are now set to run daily flights between Delhi and Toronto/Vancouver from 27 September. Working with Canadian partners to further ease travel," he tweeted.
However, passengers who travel from India to Canada via an indirect route still need to provide a pre-departure negative COVID-19 molecular test result from a third country before continuing their journey to Canada.
