PTI

Toronto

Canada has again extended its ban on arriving passenger flights directly from India till September 21 due to the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal transport ministry has said.

In April, Canada banned all direct flights to and from India when the second COVID-19 wave hit India. The date of reopening has been postponed many times.

“Protecting the health and safety of Canadians continues to be our top priority. After reviewing public health data, we have decided to extend the direct flight ban between Canada and India until September 21, 2021,” Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport of Canada, tweeted on Tuesday. Also, the Canadian government continues to closely monitor the epidemiological situation and will be working closely with the Govt of India.

and aviation operators to ensure appropriate procedures are put in place to enable a safe return of direct flights as soon as conditions permit, the release said.

“Based on the latest public health advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada, Transport Canada is extending the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that restricts all direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India until September 21, 2021, at 23:59 EDT. All direct commercial and private passenger flights to Canada from India are subject to the NOTAM. Cargo-only operations, medical transfers or military flights are not included,” it said.

The ban, however, does not apply to cargo operations, medical transfers, or military flights. They are allowed to go directly between the two countries. All direct commercial and private passenger flights are only suspended.