Union Aviation Minister confirms India-UK flights will restart from January 6, issues SOP

India had suspended all passenger flights connecting the two countries from December 23 to January 7 as a new variant of coronavirus emerged in the UK.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. (File | Shekhar Yadav, EPS)

Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said flights from India to UK will resume from January 6, while services from that country to here would resume from January 8 onwards.

Tweeting about the new development, he said "Resumption of flights between India & UK: India to UK from 6 Jan 2021. UK to India from 8 January 2021. 30 flights will operate every week. 15 each by Indian & UK carriers."

All health precautions will be taken. SOPs have been issued by @MoHFW_INDIA. Passengers will be tested both before boarding & upon arrival in India. Details are attached herewith. These are valid till 30 Jan 2021.@MoCA_GoI @DGCAIndia pic.twitter.com/Sru7ooPWSC

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) January 2, 2021

"This schedule is valid till 23 Jan 2021. Further frequency will be determined after review," he added.

Earlier, Puri had announced on Friday that only 30 flights per week will operate between India and the UK when services resume from January 8 and that this arrangement will continue till January 23.

India had suspended all passenger flights connecting the two countries from December 23 to January 7 as a new variant of coronavirus emerged in the UK.

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(Inputs from ANI, PTI)