RAWALPINDI: The federal government has revised the inbound air travellers’ policy, exempting airline crew of local carriers on two-way flights – who do not exit the airport – from getting an RT PCR test done before travel to Pakistan.

However, staff of local carriers on two-way international flights who do exit the airport will have to get tested before travelling to Pakistan.

According to the revised policy: “Airline staff of local carriers, employed on two-way flights with no exit from airport, are exempted from RT PCR test before travel to Pakistan. However, airline staff exiting airports abroad require a negative RT PCR test before travel to Pakistan.”

Passengers travelling to Pakistan from any country will be required to present a negative RT-PCR test report conducted 72 hours prior to the travel. Whereas travel from category C countries has been banned except for countries that have been given exemption by the NCOC exemption committee.

Meanwhile, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has rescheduled some of its flights in the light of NCOC guidelines to avoid rush of passengers at local airports.

A PIA spokesman said PK9726 from Riyadh to Lahore will now land in Sialkot while PK9247 earlier scheduled from Lahore to Dammam will now operate from Sialkot to Dammam.He said PK262 from Abu Dhabi scheduled to land in Islamabad will now land in Peshawar from Abu Dhabi.

Similarly, the flight from Islamabad to Al-Qassim will now depart from Peshawar.All passengers have been notified, however, for more information, the passengers are requested to contact the PIA call centre.

A PIA special flight with one million doses of Sinovac’s Covid-19 vaccine reached Islamabad on Sunday, he said, adding PIA special flight PK6852 carrying the consignment landed at Islamabad International Airport from China at 4pm on Sunday.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2021