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Air India and Cochin International Airport Ltd have joined hands to operate direct London services from Kochi.
Scheduled to start from August 18 between Kochi-Heathrow on Wednesdays, the service comes at a time when the United Kingdom moved India from its Red to Amber list, a categorization created for facilitating international travel during Covid times.
Air India will deploy Dreamliner category aircraft to operate in the sector. The AI 150/149 aircraft arrives in Kochi at 0345 and departs for London at 0550 on Wednesdays.
S.Suhas, Managing Director, CIAL said “European connectivity has been a long time demand of the expats. We have waived parking and landing fees for the airline operating direct services to London. This gesture will give an impetus for our effort to attract carriers from other parts of the world. We hope that within a year, we will be able to host more foreign airlines ’’, he said.
With the commencement of a new flight to London, thousands of stranded expats will be able to travel between India and the UK. It will be a 10 hour travel duration from Kochi to Heathrow. Entering the UK from places on the amber list requires three Covid-19 tests — the first, at least three days prior to departure; the second, on the day of arrival or before Day 2; and the third, on or after Day 8. Home quarantine for 10 days is also mandatory.
For UK nationals who are fully vaccinated, neither quarantine nor the Day 8 tests are required. People who have been fully vaccinated in the United States or many European countries will not need to quarantine when they arrive in England or take the Day 8 test.
UAE service
Meanwhile, the passenger departures to UAE from CIAL have gained momentum after UAE decided to accept Indians who comply with the guidelines issued by GDRFA/ICA. Till Friday, as many as 450 passengers flew to UAE from CIAL. Emirates, Etihad, Fly Dubai, Air India Express carry out one departure operation each, while Air Arabia is having two flights on Saturday.
Read more: Cochin International Airport starts departure flight operations to UAE
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