Canada to extend ban on arriving passenger flights from India

A person wearing a protective mask walks through terminal 1 at Toronto's Pearson Airport after mandatory coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing took effect for international arrivals in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada February 15, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Osorio/File Photo

REUTERS

Canada will extend its ban on arriving passenger flights from India to Sept. 21 because of the risks posed by COVID-19, the federal transport ministry said in a statement on Monday.

The ban was first imposed on April 22 and has already been rolled over several times. The measure does not apply to cargo flights or medical transfers.

“Based on the latest public health advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Transport Canada is extending the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that restricts all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India until September 21, 2021, at 23:59 EDT,” the federal transport ministry said in a statement.

The ban was first imposed on April 22 and has already been rolled over several times. It is the fifth time the ban has been extended. The ban was set to expire on August 21, but will now remain in place till September 21. However, the ban does not apply to cargo flights or medical transfers. 

Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Leslie Adler