Air travel to resume for those who are vaccinated

Air travel to resume for those who are vaccinated

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:15.06.2021 

After a lull, international travel is set to resume for travellers who have been vaccinated.

Notifications by Spain, Netherlands, France, Mauritius, Russia and Croatia to allow vaccinated travellers with or without negative RT-PCR reports in the coming weeks has brought cheer for travellers and the travel industry.

Those who have taken the vaccine and carry a negative report will be exempted from the 14 days quarantine, a stumbling block that stopped people from travelling.

Travel and tour operators say the easing of curbs will help people in the city who are waiting to travel for education, work and for leisure and expect to improve confidence among the travellers. Slots for US visas is also recording a high demand.

However, the hesitancy shown by Singapore and Malaysia is considered a drawback because these two destinations were once quite popular among travellers for leisure, education and work, tour operators said.

Subhash Goyal, chairman, Stic Travel Group, said that it was a positive sign that countries have begun opening up and have also started to issue visas for travel.

“This is the time for the government to start resuming scheduled international flights at least from mid-July. It can be done first to countries with which we have an 'air bubble' agreement because flights are being operated on these routes already," he said.

He also said that the government should take part in IATA travel passes.

Countries that have stopped travel have been issuing visas. This will boost the revival of international travel.

Basheer Ahmed of Chennai Metro Travels said that "The rules and need for documentation vary from one country to another but all the countries have decided to allow travellers to enter. Those who have got their vaccines can avoid expensive quarantines in foreign countries."

France and the US are not allowing leisure travellers. The initial traffic will be students and those who travel for work.

Sandeep Todi, who is planning to travel to the US for work, said that the easing down of the situation has raised the hope of all including students.

The travel and tour operators are also advising customers to follow precautions.