In major news since our last update, India will resume scheduled international flights from March 27. Vietnam and Malaysia will open their borders to international visitors from 15th March and 1st April respectively. France, Sri Lanka, Canada, Thailand and Abu Dhabi ease travel rules for travellers from India. Thai Airways, Indigo and SpiceJet announce flights to Bangkok and Phuket from various cities in India. Singapore Airlines to operate all India-Singapore flights as Vaccinated Travel Lane services. United suspends two direct flights to India after Russia overflight ban. These and more updates in our March 1st edition.

India to resume regular international flights from March 27:

India will finally allow scheduled international flights to resume from March 27, 2022 - two years after they were suspended due to the pandemic. The date coincides with the start of the IATA airline summer schedule. We can now look forward to more connectivity and choices between India and the rest of the world with hopefully lower airfares.

Singapore Airlines to operate all India-Singapore flights as VTL flights:

Singapore Airlines (SIA) will be converting all its flights from India to Singapore into vaccinated travel lane services from March 16. Under the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL), eligible travellers will be allowed into Singapore without any quarantine requirement.

SIA Group's move comes after the Singapore government decided to expand its VTL network, including from all cities in India.

United suspends some India flights after Russia overflight ban:

United Airlines has indefinitely suspended two flights to India due to the reciprocal overflight ban announced by Russia and USA which now makes the long journey unviable. The two suspended flights are the San Francisco - Delhi and the Newark - Mumbai direct flights.

United will continue flying to Delhi from both Chicago and Newark.

Emirates to reintroduce the A38 on the Mumbai - Dubai route:

With effect from 15 March 2022, guests travelling on Emirates to Dubai from Mumbai can once again look forward to enjoying the unparalleled Emirates A380 experience with its spacious and comfortable cabins, and unmissable signature products and services, including the iconic A380 Onboard Lounge and Shower Spa, reintroduced with additional health and safety measures.

Emirates also announced the resumption of chauffeur-drive service on departure (CDD) from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru with effect from 15th March 2022 for first and business class passengers.

Air Asia has announced its summer schedule of flights from Pune with effect from 28th March:

Here is the Lufthansa flight schedule between India and Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich (Swiss Air) for the month of March ‘22 under the 'air bubble' agreement between India and Germany & Switzerland:

Flights from India:

Flights to India:

Vietnam to reopen its borders to all travellers from 15th March:

Vietnam is scheduled to open its borders to foreign visitors from March 15 onwards. The pre-conditions to enter include being fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and testing negative prior to entry into Vietnam. In addition, travellers need to carry travel medical coverage for a minimum of US$ 10000 and will have to quarantine for the first day of the trip.

Malaysia opens borders to international visitors from April 1:

Malaysia will reopen its borders to tourists from April 1 and allow entry without quarantine for vaccinated visitors. The reopening follows similar steps taken by neighbours Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia where quarantine has been waived for vaccinated travellers with negative Covid-19 tests before departure and after arrival.

Sri Lanka welcomes vaccinated travellers without pre-arrival test:

With effect from 01 March, Sri Lanka has announced exemption of pre-departure COVID-19 testing (PCR/ Rapid Antigen Test) for fully vaccinated travellers arriving in Sri Lanka.

Abu Dhabi removes on-arrival PCR test for all travellers:

The UAE recently eased several Covid safety rules, including those around travel. Now fully vaccinated passengers don’t need to take a pre-travel Covid PCR test to enter the UAE. However, the testing facility remains at the airport for visitors that wish to take a PCR test to activate their Green Pass in the Al Hosn app to facilitate access to Abu Dhabi's public places and tourist attractions. The cost of this PCR test is Dh40.

France moves India to green list of countries:

India, along with 33 other countries, have been added to the green list which means that fully vaccinated travellers from India can enter France without any restrictions. However, in order for their vaccination schedule to be recognised as complete, persons aged 18 years or older wishing to enter the country must have received a ‘booster’ dose no later than 9 months after the injection of the last required dose.

In addition, the vaccination pass has been suspended from 14 March 2022 that requires only vaccinated people to enter monuments, bars, restaurants and attractions.

Canada allows entry to travellers with pre-arrival antigen test:

With effect from 28 February, Canada has lightened its border measures and is now allowing entry to all vaccinated travellers in the country with just a pre-arrival antigen test. Also only random selection will be done for on-arrival testing and such passengers will no longer require to quarantine while awaiting their test results.

In addition, Canada has resumed international flights at all airports.

Beginning March 1, 2022, Thailand’s has made its quarantine-free entry program, Test & Go, even easier. The Day 5 PCR testing requirement and quarantine has been scrapped so its only required on Day 1 now. Travellers will still be required to provide proof of full vaccination or recovery as well as a negative PCR test result completed no more than 72 hours prior to entering Thailand.

Travelers entering by land and air must apply for entry via the Thailand Pass system, while water arrivals must apply for a Certificate of Entry.

Thai Airways, Spicejet and Indigo launch direct flights between India and Thailand from multiple cities in India. Most flights are commencing from 15th of March. Please speak to our consultants for details.

Please refer the flyer below for details on the Test and Go scheme: