Air India Express Rolls Out COVID-19 Testing at Home for Passengers Flying from UAE to India

Passengers flying from the UAE to India may now get their Covid-19 (RT-PCR) tests done at home, budget carrier Air India Express (AIE) has announced.

Those who don’t require home services could get tested for Dh150, with the airline’s new partnership with NMC Healthcare, the AIE said in its latest blog post, reported Khaleejtimes.

Testing is facilitated in various NMC clinics and hospitals across the UAE, including 11 centres in Abu Dhabi, four in Dubai, eight in Sharjah, and one in Ras Al Khaimah.

Though it is not mandatory for India-bound passengers to get a negative RT-PCR test result, the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has said: “it is highly recommended”.

Officials at the Consulate-General of India in Dubai, however, have confirmed that all travellers to West Bengal and Tamil Nadu must produce a negative result from an RT-PCR test taken not more than 96 hours before their departure.

The AIE added: “It is now mandatory for all international passengers entering the state under the Vande Bharat and Air Bubble schemes.”

International repatriation flights, Vande Bharat Mission and air bubble pacts have enabled Kempegowda International Airport to reconnect Bengaluru to 14 international destinations, Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) said in a statement. Under these various arrangements, 13 airlines will operate on these sectors from Bengaluru airport.

The destinations are Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Dubai, Doha, Frankfurt, Kuwait, Kuala Lumpur, London, Muscat, Narita, Paris, Riyadh, Singapore and San Francisco, BIAL said. It added that the airlines that will operate the flights include Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, GoAir, Vistara, Etihad and Emirates, among others.

(With inputs from agencies)