Direct passenger flight services between India and China are unlikely to resume in the near future unless Beijing modifies its policy of sudden cancellation of scheduled flights every time some passengers are tested positive for COVID on arrival in Chinese airports, informed sources here said.
Flight services between the two countries have been disrupted ever since coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan in late 2019 and spread across the world.
The flight disruption turned out to be a major problem for hundreds of Indian students as well as families of Indians working in China and businessmen to travel back and forth though Beijing recently lifted the visa ban after about three years.
Following this, about 23,000 Indian students, mostly studying medicine who were stranded back home due to China’s COVID visa bans, made preparations to travel to China to rejoin their colleges but experienced difficulties due to the absence of direct flights.
The flights through the third countries were exorbitantly expensive in view of the demand.
However, over 100 Indian students reportedly returned to China in recent weeks travelling through the third-country routes, especially via Hong Kong.
Informed sources here said that in view of the unlikelihood of the resumption of flights, Indians are advised to travel through Hong Kong which has daily connectivity from India. From there they can take a flight to Chinese cities, where they have to undergo a seven-day quarantine.
Indian passengers are currently travelling to China through Sri Lanka, Nepal and Myanmar.
China is not expected to change its zero COVID policy even after the 20th Congress of the ruling Communist Party beginning here on October 16.
Source: PTI
