Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Delhi, Mumbai Airports Revise Travel Guidelines For Evacuated Returnees

The authorities of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, said the airport has blocked a special corridor for Indians arriving from Ukraine later today.

Russia-Ukraine War Latest News Today: Amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, the international airports in Delhi and Mumbai have relaxed guidelines and issued revised travel advisory for the Indian passengers who are being evacuated from Ukraine. As per the latest updates, several airlines are operating special flights, including Air India, to bring back Indian nationals safely from Ukraine.

Mumbai airport: The authorities of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, said the airport has blocked a special corridor for Indians arriving from Ukraine later today. As per the latest advisory, the air passengers will be required to produce either a Covid-19 vaccination certificate/negative RT-PCR report on their arrival. However, in case any passenger is not able to show any of the documents at the time of arrival, they will have to undergo RT-PCR testing at the airport. The cost of the testing would be borne by the airport.

“In light of the current crisis in Ukraine, the CSMIA is extending full support to the evacuation of the stranded Indian students who are arriving in Mumbai today by AI1944 at ETA 20:00 hours,” a CSMIA spokesperson told news agency ANI.

The airport said that the passengers would be able to leave the airport, post-testing negative. If any passenger is tested positive, they shall be clinically managed as per the protocols laid down by the Government.

Apart from this, the CSMIA said it is undertaking steps to smoothen the process for the young students arriving at the airport. It has fenced in a special area at the airport for the arriving passengers to sit and will provide them with free WiFi codes, distribute food and water bottles, and provide them with any guidance or medical assistance if required at the time of arrival.

Delhi airport: On the other hand, the Delhi airport on Saturday issued a revised advisory for Indian nationals and said the passengers not vaccinated and neither possessing COVID-19 negative report will be exempted from uploading documents on Air Suvidha portal before departure on humanitarian grounds and they will be allowed to enter the airport.

“Indian nationals not vaccinated and neither possessing Covid-19 negative report will be exempted from uploading documents on Air Suvidha before departure on humanitarian grounds and can enter the airport,” the Delhi airport said in a tweet.

In the meantime, Air India’s first evacuation flight has departed from Romanian capital Bucharest on Saturday afternoon for Mumbai with 219 Indian nationals who were stranded in Ukraine due to the ongoing Russian military offensive.

Indian nationals who reached the Ukraine-Romania border by road have been taken to Bucharest by Indian government officials so that they can be evacuated in the Air India flights.

The first evacuation flight AI1944 departed from Bucharest at 1.55 PM (Indian Standard Time) and is expected to land at the Mumbai airport at around 9 PM.

Moreover, the second evacuation flight AI1942 is expected to return to the Delhi airport on early Sunday morning with another 250 Indian nationals.

Air India said it will operate more flights on Saturday to Bucharest and Hungarian capital Budapest to evacuate Indians stranded in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian airspace has been closed for civil aircraft operations since February 24 morning and therefore, the evacuation flights are operating out of Bucharest and Budapest.