Charter flights from Mumbai to Toronto are now available with a quarantine stopover in Belgrade
As the Covid pandemic raging in various parts of the world continues to derail travel plans for many, restrictions imposed by various countries are making it tougher for travelers to reach destinations for work or personal engagements.
While the presidential proclamation prevents Indian visa holders from entering the United States if traveling directly from India, Canada too with its Covid travel policies has imposed certain restrictions for travelers from India.
Many Indians felt disappointed by the recent extension of suspension of flights from India to Canada until Sept. 21. In fact many tweeted that Canada banning flights from India, while allowing travelers from other countries such as the US where the pandemic is raging, was only suggestive of a bias.
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However, since Covid restrictions do not bar any national, but only entry of travelers from Covid infested countries directly, traveling via a third destination is always a possibility.
Keeping this in mind, as Canada appears to be the second most travelled country after the US in the Americas by Indians, travel agencies have come up with alternate packages to facilitate travel to Canada for Indians.
Delhi based travel agency Expocity Travels have come up with Canada via Belgrade travel packages. They are in fact organizing a charter flight that leaves Mumbai on Aug. 23.
The travelers will land in a third country destination Belgrade where they stay for eight nights before making the onward journey to the US.
To facilitate travel, especially by the elderly who may be taking this route to be with their families in Canada, the package includes accommodation in a 3 star hotel with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The travel package would also include a RT-PCR test in Belgrade. The deal also comes with a comprehensive Covid insurance.
Many Indian Canadians are now exploring this route for their relatives. Surendra Narang based in Brampton, Canada says, “My youngest son is in India and we would definitely like him to be with the family here as we have not been able to meet for two years now.”
“We will definitely be exploring this path for him. Since he is young and is fluent in English he should be comfortable traveling to a third country and spending time there.”
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“While some friends suggest that waiting for a few months may be better but we feel that this Covid situation is so rapidly changing, one can never know what may happen next,” he says. “God forbid, if India sees a third wave, the travel would stay suspended for God knows till when.”
The Canadian travel advisory says that during the period of flight suspension passengers who travel to Canada from India via an indirect route will need to obtain a pre-departure negative Covid-19 molecular test from a third country before continuing their journey to Canada.