Commercial airline flights between UAE and India will remain grounded until at least 6 July.

The ban first introduced on 24 April was extended on 4 May. In the latest statements from civil aviation authorities, it has now been extended through to 6 July, when the ruling will be reviewed once more.

The first inkling that the ban would be extended came from a tweet from Air India Express last Tuesday. It was quickly followed by a statement from Emirates saying a flight resumption was once more paused.

The movement of passengers to the UAE from India (excluding UAE nationals) has been suspended until 6 July, according to a tweet from Air India Express on Tuesday.

The Air India Express tweeted: “General Authority of Civil Aviation, UAE, has suspended all inbound passenger movement to the UAE from India (excluding UAE nationals) until 6 July 2021.”

Under the ban, all travellers from India, as well as those who had visited India during the last 14 days before their planned arrival in the UAE, are denied entrance. UAE nationals, diplomats and holders of the UAE golden visa could still enter the UAE but subject to quarantine requirements.

Countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kuwait, New Zealand, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and UAE have banned travel to and from India due to the rising infections in the country, mostly due to the highly contagious Delts variant that originated in India.

Dubai-based carrier Emirates said passenger flights from India to UAE would continue to be suspended until 6 July. It offered passengers the option to keep the ticket open, rebook to another date or apply for a refund.