Testing times: United indefinitely suspends Delhi flights over RT-PCR of crew members – Newz9

NEW DELHI: United has briefly suspended all flights between the US and Delhi, following confusion over RT-PCR testing requirement of crew members. Its New York (Newark)-Delhi flight UA 801 landed right here on Thursday evening.
A disagreement on testing for crew of this flight — who weren’t alighting from the Boeing 777 and have been to fly again to Newark — noticed the airline deciding to take off from right here with out boarding passengers who ready to take action at IGI airport.
“A government (not aviation) official insisted RT-PCR test be conducted on the crew of UA 801 that was to fly back as UA 802. This despite clear orders from the aviation ministry not to do so for asymptomatic crew of quick turn around (QTA) international flights who do not alight from aircraft and fly out of India. This disagreement saw the United flight leaving for Newark without boarding passengers,” stated sources.
In an announcement, United stated: “As we seek clarity regarding Covid-19 travel requirements to India, we have temporarily suspended service to Delhi for April 22 and canceled the corresponding return flights. We are working to provide alternate options to our customers and plan to resume our scheduled service as soon as possible.”
United, the one US service that flies to India presently, has nonstops between Delhi and Newark, San Francisco and Chicago.
Suspension of these flights is an enormous blow to India-US connectivity through the pandemic as quickly-to-be-privatised Air India is the one different airline that has directs to US locations like New York JFK, Newark, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington. Apart from the Delhi flights, United solely has a Mumbai-Newark connection.
The aviation ministry stated it has been getting requests from airways to exempt pilots working worldwide flights from RT-PCR assessments, which isn’t allowed as per present norms right here. However, it made an exception for crew of QTA worldwide flights who don’t alight from plane.
“Considering that cockpit crew remain within aircraft in a sterile environment of the flight deck and the cabin crew are protected by PPE, these crew operating international QTA flights are exempted from RT-PCR test on arrival at Indian airports,” says an order issued by aviation ministry joint secretary Usha Padhee this Tuesday.
Despite this, sources stated the United crew — all of who have been to stay contained in the plane and fly again to New York — was requested to bear the check. So they determined to fly again with out boarding passengers! Sources stated stranded passengers are being despatched on different flights to Europe on Friday evening in order that they will fly additional on to US.
Meanwhile, some international airways working medium and lengthy haul nonstops to India are leant to be planning so as to add a stopover on their flights to India nearer to the nation.
The concept: Have a crew change from there to function the flight to India after which out of India to keep away from their crew being uncovered to the brand new virus pressure by staying over right here.
Some worldwide airways have sought separate quick lanes and exit space at IGIA for crew to keep away from them getting publicity danger within the frequent arrival corridor.