India to suspend all flights to and from UK Dec 23-31

India today announced suspension of all flights to and from the United Kingdom from December 23 to December 31 in the wake of a mutated rapidly-spreading strain of coronavirus in that country.

"Considering the prevailing situation in UK, the government of India has decided that all flights originating from UK to India to be suspended till 31st December," the Civil Aviation Ministry said.

"Consequently, flights from India to UK shall stand temporarily suspended till 31st December," it said, our New Delhi correspondent reports.

As a result, passengers arriving from UK in flights that will land in India by 11:59pm local time on Tuesday will have to undergo mandatory RT-PCR test at airports, the ministry said. 

Earlier this morning, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demanded immediate ban on flights to and from the UK in view of the new fast-spreading strain of Covid-19 in that country.