The Netherlands is imposing a flight ban on passenger flights from India. The Ministry of Infrastructure announced this on Sunday. The flight ban takes effect on Monday at 18.00 p.m. and is valid until at least 1 May. Flights with cargo and medical personnel are still allowed.
India is currently facing a heavy wave of a new variant of the corona virus, which is putting the country's healthcare system under serious pressure. For example, there is a serious shortage of oxygen for patients who need to be ventilated. For the fourth day in a row, India had the highest number of infections in the world on Sunday. Nearly 350.000 new infections and 2767 new corona deaths were reported.
RIVM had advised the cabinet to introduce the ban in an urgent recommendation. “There is uncertainty about the Indian changes and the cabinet wants to prevent the Netherlands from becoming a preferred option for passengers from India,” the ministry said. Germany previously announced a ban on passenger flights from India.
Help
Several countries have already pledged aid to India in recent days. The European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States have all indicated their willingness to help India.
Corona Minister Hugo de Jonge said last week that he saw no reason for a ban on flights from India. There is already an EU-wide entry ban for residents of that country and a double test requirement for Europeans traveling to the Netherlands from India. "That is a very effective double lock," said the outgoing minister.
Dangerous variant
De Jonge pointed out on Thursday that the World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet designated the Indian mutation as a dangerous variant. If that still happened and the RIVM advises to go a step further, he would. "I have no problem with that."
KLM has planned seven passenger flights to Mumbai (3) and Delhi (4) and a cargo plane is going to Mumbai. We will bring people there, but no passengers are allowed back, except for so-called exceptional cases such as medical personnel and sailors, a spokeswoman said in an initial response. This procedure is already followed for flights to South Africa and South America.
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