Last flights from India arrive in UK ahead of red list ban

Air India Boeing 787

The last flights bringing passengers from India to the UK are arriving in the UK ahead of the red list travel ban on passengers arriving from the country which kicks in at 04:00hrs on Friday 23rd April.

Indians that live and work in the UK have been scrambling to get back ahead of Fridays deadline which is the result of spiralling coronavirus cases in the country and a new Indian variant being identified.

Earlier this week Heathrow Airport refused to allow extra flights from India over fears that border force could not cope with the surge in demand and that it would result in mass queues at the border.

From Friday, anyone arriving into the UK from India must quarantine in a government approved hotel for 10 days in a bid to stop the new variant spreading in the UK.

They will also need to take Coronavirus tests on the 2nd and 8th day of the quarantine and will only be allowed to leave quarantine if both tests are negative.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has also been sent requests for special charter flights from India ahead of the deadline but this have also been declined.

In the days leading up to the ban, fares from India to the UK had risen by over 250% as airlines sought to capitalise on the demand to get to the UK.

About Nick Harding 2043 Articles
Nick is the senior reporter and editor at UK Aviation News as well as working freelance elsewhere. He has his finger firmly on the pulse on Aviation, not only in the UK but worldwide. Nick has been asked to speak in a professional capacity on LBC, Heart and other broadcast networks.