Flight choices for those with approved study permits before Match 18, 2020

[GradStudent18]

Hello all!

I'm posting this thread for those of us who have a study permit approval before March 18, 2020, and who are about to start studying in the fall (september) term.

Since it's already the 1st week if July, there's just less than 2 months left, if we are going to travel.

So, what are you all planning to do about the flight situation and which airlines are you all planning to book to travel from your home country?

Even though we are exempted, seems it's going to be a task finding flights as here in India, as of now, only Air India flies to North America. And Air India also seems to be denying boarding to exempted students if their fall term is online.

It's all so confusing, and the impacts affect peoples' entire lives. The uncertainty is getting too much to handle. I'll be very grateful if we can all discuss regarding how we are planning to travel for september.

Please feel free to post any and all opinions here. Thank you so much.

 

[gursewak singh]

As both countries have extended ban till 31st July, so decided to wait till 31st.
Although I am exempt from restrictions as i got visa before 18th march but there seems no point to book tickets in advance as god knows what will happen in India after Unlock 2.0.
If international flights are opened in August we have enough time to book tickets but again we don't know if Fall 2020 will have campus classes or online.
So overall its situation dependent.
Lets hope for the best

 

[Shahin3583]

Hiii!!

I too have my visa issued before 18th march. But as rightly said by Gurpreet Singh, I would also wait for flight resumptions until 31st July. At the moment I don't think there are flights available besides Vande Bharat mission flights to fly to Canada from India. Are there any other airlines options??

Anybody planning for Quebec?? If we take up Vande bharat misson flights, then the destination would be Toronto. So from there will we be allowed to do domestic travel to our destinations or will have to quarantine in Toronto itself is an important question as well.

Best wishes to all

 

[Shahin3583]

Anybody planning travel to Montreal in august?

 

[GradStudent18]

Hiii!!

I too have my visa issued before 18th march. But as rightly said by Gurpreet Singh, I would also wait for flight resumptions until 31st July. At the moment I don't think there are flights available besides Vande Bharat mission flights to fly to Canada from India. Are there any other airlines options??

Anybody planning for Quebec?? If we take up Vande bharat misson flights, then the destination would be Toronto. So from there will we be allowed to do domestic travel to our destinations or will have to quarantine in Toronto itself is an important question as well.

Best wishes to all

Hi! But Air India Vande Bharat Mission flights are outright rejecting students and denying to board students... are you planning to book through air india? I don't think any other airline is operating now...

 

[canuck78]

If your studies are online you are supposed to remain at home.

 

[GradStudent18]

If your studies are online you are supposed to remain at home.

@canuck78 , thanks a lot for your reply.

Yes, I realize the essential travel condition...

But we keep hearing here, as well as on twitter, that students with fully online classes for the fall are being let in by the border officer, even in July for the Fall term. Makes me wonder whether I'm losing out on not taking the chance and travelling.

Further, my study permit was approved in late 2019 for a master's program starting Fall 2020. So, my medical exam will expire by October end, 2020 (the 12 month validity). I'm now unable to travel only due to online classes being non-essential. If not for Covid, I would have travelled by August end 2020, and my medical exam would not have expired.

Now, assuming I travel in December 2020, it'll be 14 months since my medical exam. Will this count as an essential reason to enter in September?

Will I be denied entry in December due to this? Can I give a new medical exam right after I enter in December?

I plan to start the program online this September if I'm unable to travel and enter. Thanks a million.

 

[GradStudent18]

Hiii!!

I too have my visa issued before 18th march. But as rightly said by Gurpreet Singh, I would also wait for flight resumptions until 31st July. At the moment I don't think there are flights available besides Vande Bharat mission flights to fly to Canada from India. Are there any other airlines options??

Anybody planning for Quebec?? If we take up Vande bharat misson flights, then the destination would be Toronto. So from there will we be allowed to do domestic travel to our destinations or will have to quarantine in Toronto itself is an important question as well.

Best wishes to all

Do you have online courses for the Fall term? If online, we are not permitted to travel and enter.

 

[Shahin3583]

Do you have online courses for the Fall term? If online, we are not permitted to travel and enter.
[/QUOTE

Hii!!

Mine is a PhD program and therefore I need to be present at university to carry out my research...so hoping that I can fly through vande Bharat flights as well if regular passenger flights don't resume by mid of august

 

[Peter88]

Do you have online courses for the Fall term? If online, we are not permitted to travel and enter.

Hello GradStudent18!,

As I mentioned in one of the thread, one of my friend travelled to Alberta on 24th June 2020 even though his classes were moved to online. So, we can't negate the option of travelling out rightly.

What I learned till date is that flying from India is a concern due to improper guidelines of Air India. But, if you are lucky enough to get through AI barriers, entering to Canada will not be an issue. So, I am exploring the option through one of the travel agent who is quite sure that I can reach to Canada. Even he is ready to take the responsibility that I don't face any issues with AI. Now, he is discussing my issue with his AI counterpart and he will come back at earliest.

 

[Peter88]

Hello Shahin.

Your case seems pretty simple and straight forward to me. You should not hesitate at all for travelling.

 

[Shahin3583]

Hello

Thank you... But I wonder about the quarantine period as AI is flying to Toronto and my destination is Montreal. Will I be allowed to take domestic connection from Toronto and quarantine in Montreal or i will have to spend my quarantine period in Toronto itself and then proceed to Montreal after 15 days? Do you have any idea on this?

 

[Peter88]

Hello

Thank you... But I wonder about the quarantine period as AI is flying to Toronto and my destination is Montreal. Will I be allowed to take domestic connection from Toronto and quarantine in Montreal or i will have to spend my quarantine period in Toronto itself and then proceed to Montreal after 15 days? Do you have any idea on this?

You are allowed to board domestic flights. My friend flew from Toronto to Alberta and then he quarantined himself in Alberta.

 

[GradStudent18]

Hi! Even mine is a research-based master's degree. I'll need to be there...

But the issue is Air India as they are not allowing people to board.

 

[Shahin3583]

You are allowed to board domestic flights. My friend flew from Toronto to Alberta and then he quarantined himself in Alberta.

Hii

Thanks a lot for the information. So I will proceed with my things then.