Traveling/Flights to Canada from India during COVID 19

[enig]

Is anyone planning to soft land now from India?

 

[adicha]

Is anyone planning to soft land now from India?

Technically soft landing is not allowed in the current climate. Not sure how that is being enforced though.

 

[pkhare23]

Is anyone planning to soft land now from India?

Technically soft landing is prohibited atleast till travel restrictions are in place. Atleast most people are trying to land permanently. However if you want to do soft landing that's your decision.

 

[mr1989]

Hey what email address did you right to?
thank you in advance

I used this form https://india.diplo.de/in-en/vertretungen/botschaft/kontakt-formular

 

[enig]

Yeah. I heard people soft landing in Canada from other countries but not India. I was thinking of staying there for 2-3 months and then returning but i was wondering if i would be allowed to get a flight back as India is allowing only repatriates.

 

[mr1989]

Thanks, I didn't know that ! After reading more about the 'air bubbles' I have yet to come across any information about which airlines will be operating in August.

I am just trying to consolidate what I know so far so please feel free to add/comment on the below. Pretty sure my knowledge has some gaps.

Assuming flights to Germany, UAE, France, US etc. resume after JULY, I hope the following airlines will be operational & likely candidates for a trip to Canada:-

1 Booking -CONNECTING FLIGHTS

1. Air India - Next to impossible to book; COPR holders allowed to board from India
2. Lufthansa - Delhi -> Frankfurt -> Toronto ; COPR holders are allowed to board from India (based on the response from German embassy in the thread above)
3. Air France - So far they aren't allowing COPR holders from boarding in India
4. Qatar - Delhi -> Doha -> Boston -> Toronto; Boarding allowed from India for COPR holders. US should not require any transit visa if you dont leave the airport
5. Emirates - Not sure
6. United - Not sure

2 Separate Bookings

This becomes complex and is probably a high risk endeavor. May need to look at this on a case by case basis. I am not sure how this can be accomplished without a transit or visitor visa of your layover destination.

I haven't heard of instances where if you book 2 different tickets with 2 different airlines & even if they belong to the same 'alliance' or 'loyalty' program, they will transfer your checked in luggage automatically without your intervention i.e. going through customs, immigration and checking it in again (for which you will need a transit visa or something similar).

I don't think Lufthansa is allowing COPR holders to board the flight from Delhi. Also since now US-Canada Borders are closed not sure if the Qatar flights via Boston will be allowed or not.

 

[nt13]

Thanks, I didn't know that ! After reading more about the 'air bubbles' I have yet to come across any information about which airlines will be operating in August.

I am just trying to consolidate what I know so far so please feel free to add/comment on the below. Pretty sure my knowledge has some gaps.

Assuming flights to Germany, UAE, France, US etc. resume after JULY, I hope the following airlines will be operational & likely candidates for a trip to Canada:-

1 Booking -CONNECTING FLIGHTS

1. Air India - Next to impossible to book; COPR holders allowed to board from India
2. Lufthansa - Delhi -> Frankfurt -> Toronto ; COPR holders are allowed to board from India (based on the response from German embassy in the thread above)
3. Air France - So far they aren't allowing COPR holders from boarding in India
4. Qatar - Delhi -> Doha -> Boston -> Toronto; Boarding allowed from India for COPR holders. US should not require any transit visa if you dont leave the airport
5. Emirates - Not sure
6. United - Not sure

2 Separate Bookings

This becomes complex and is probably a high risk endeavor. May need to look at this on a case by case basis. I am not sure how this can be accomplished without a transit or visitor visa of your layover destination.

I haven't heard of instances where if you book 2 different tickets with 2 different airlines & even if they belong to the same 'alliance' or 'loyalty' program, they will transfer your checked in luggage automatically without your intervention i.e. going through customs, immigration and checking it in again (for which you will need a transit visa or something similar).

I guess on your first point - As of now, only Air India VBM is seemingly the option for Outbound COPR holders for AUGUST. Nothing else (recheck criteria - i guess not even Air France or United. Lufthansa hasn't been approved yet for repatriation flights.) Qatar, Emirates - Again nothing announced by them too for getting permission for repatriation. Please note: I am talking of CoPR holders only, not checking any other info.

On your second point - Agree that this is risky bet - no doubt there. And also agree, it shall be a very individualistic decision - it's not like one fit for all. However, for transit and layover and connecting 2 separate airlines to carry baggage throughout - that is where people have been researching in past three days and hence this thread ! Thanks to @pkhare23 @SithLord @mr1989 - who have contributed to shed some light on this. FOR NOW, SEEMINGLY THAT'S THE ONLY OPTION LEFT for COPRs wanting to travel in August - September.

I have been searching people who have taken this route and landed successfully - and found one on FB who went in June end.

Please share in case you come across some information.

Thanks.

 

[mr1989]

I just searched for Delhi - Toronto and found a ticket on cheapticket.in Not sure if its real or not as the airindia website is showing no seats available but this website is still showing tickets. Strange!! Screenshot : https://ibb.co/zQrVS7Y

 

[adicha]

I guess on your first point - As of now, only Air India VBM is seemingly the option for Outbound COPR holders for AUGUST. Nothing else (recheck criteria - i guess not even Air France or United. Lufthansa hasn't been approved yet for repatriation flights.) Qatar, Emirates - Again nothing announced by them too for getting permission for repatriation. Please note: I am talking of CoPR holders only, not checking any other info.

On your second point - Agree that this is risky bet - no doubt there. And also agree, it shall be a very individualistic decision - it's not like one fit for all. However, for transit and layover and connecting 2 separate airlines to carry baggage throughout - that is where people have been researching in past three days and hence this thread ! Thanks to @pkhare23 @SithLord @mr1989 - who have contributed to shed some light on this. FOR NOW, SEEMINGLY THAT'S THE ONLY OPTION LEFT for COPRs wanting to travel in August - September.

I have been searching people who have taken this route and landed successfully - and found one on FB who went in June end.

Please share in case you come across some information.

Thanks.

Yes! I think we are expecting to hear about which airlines will be operating in August sometime this week. Just waiting on that information before making any bookings. Air India too should be releasing their next phase flight information shortly. Currently, everything is appearing as 'Sold Out' for pretty much the entire month of August.

 

[crackMBA]

I also saw the tickets but can't reach their customer care! Not sure if they will issue both the tickets on the same PNR or not

As per my previous experience, if any site is showing connecting flights its on the same PNR otherwise they would mention but its always better to confirm becasue it may be different during covid.

 

[crackMBA]

I just searched for Delhi - Toronto and found a ticket on cheapticket.in Not sure if its real or not as the airindia website is showing no seats available but this website is still showing tickets. Strange!! Screenshot : https://ibb.co/zQrVS7Y

It do happens sometime when you have 3rd party coming in but always make sure before booking becasue these days travel sites are not refunding anything. They are just giving credits.

 

[crackMBA]

I don't think Lufthansa is allowing COPR holders to board the flight from Delhi. Also since now US-Canada Borders are closed not sure if the Qatar flights via Boston will be allowed or not.

Just FYI @mr1989 only land borders are closed. Flights are running like before but with limited connections.

 

[going2CA]

This is what my friend told me that he hates about India: the sheer clusterduck of contrasting information. Nobody is on the same page about the travel updates. Everybody follows different orders, kowtows to different authorities. It's no longer paranoia-- you would be wise to take print outs of emails, official communiques, government dossiers, Scam India's rules and regulations PDF, Twitter screenshots etc., so that you can prove to the airport entrance chap that you are allowed to enter the premises to fly out, then to the baggage wala guy to check your baggage all the way to final Canadian destination, then the boarding area fellow that you are legally allowed to fly.

I would rather my COPR expire In September, and wait for normal flights to resume in their weakened capacity than attempt all this juggernaut business of multiple flights, transits etc. Bhai, so many places to go wrong. Then if we are stuck in some place In Europe, nobody can help us. Meanwhile our baggage will be blown up by airport security in Vancouver as a security measure because it's been spinning around on the conveyor for a whole day and nobody has claimed it.

I have to ask! What was your score in Ielts writing?

 

[going2CA]

@pkhare23 and @SithLord are you both looking at the vbm flights via eu as an option??

 

[pkhare23]

Just FYI @mr1989 only land borders are closed. Flights are running like before but with limited connections.

I concur that flights are running with limited connection however someone mentioned previously that even if even with B1/B2 visa we can't transit through US.