E-Paper
Bengal suspends direct flights from UK from January 3
The suspension is temporary in nature, and comes amid a surge in Covid-19 infections in both West Bengal and the UK.
The West Bengal government on Thursday announced a temporary suspension on all direct flights from the United Kingdom to Kolkata from January 3 till further orders, amid growing concerns over the rise in cases of Omicron variant of Covid-19.
“In view of the rising number of Omicron cases globally as well within the country, the state government has decided to temporarily and until further orders suspend all direct flights from the United Kingdom to Kolkata with effect from January 3, 2022,” an order issued by the state home department said.
While the daily count of Covid-19 cases in the state has doubled over the past one week, it has so far reported 11 Omicron cases till date.
Similarly, UK has recorded a massive surge in cases amid the spread of the Omicron variant.
“The Union civil aviation ministry seeks a NOC (no objection certificate) from the respective state governments before allowing any flights to land in the state. Now that the West Bengal government has suspended flights from the UK, the ministry is likely to suspend them too,” C Pattabhi, director of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, said.
The state has also written to Union civil aviation secretary Rajiv Bansak on its latest order.
“Health is a state subject and as per the prevailing guidelines and considering the situation in a particular state, the states are free to take a call on such matters,” a senior official at the civil aviation ministry said on condition of anonymity.
