Direct flights from Canada to India opened up around the end of September. However, COVID-19 related guidelines added some complexity to travelling from Vancouver to Mumbai via Delhi. After talking to a few friends who went to India recently, we decided to book our flights and visit family for Diwali.
Now, I want more people, not just my mother and mother-in-law, to read my blog posts. But if you are not planning to travel to India, skip this one. Even I won’t read it once I am done with it.
Before I share our actual travel experience, I will share all the factors we considered before booking our flights. This time, it was a bit more involved than getting nostalgic watching Swades songs and booking flights with a few clicks. Here is the song for you, you might need it to get through the rest of the content –
Canada’s COVID-19 Guidelines for Flights from India
Although these guidelines were not relevant for Canada to India flights, we had to consider them while booking our flights. The latest guideline is from Oct 27, 2021. Please check the Government of Canada Travel Advisory website for any updates.
Here is a summary of the guidelines –
a. If we are flying directly from India (New Delhi) to Canada, we would need a pre-departure negative COVID-19 molecular test result. This test is required even if you are fully vaccinated in Canada or India. And this test has to be done at the Genestrings Laboratory located at New Delhi International Airport. Yes, you read that right, just one specific lab at the airport where we need to get our COVID-19 test.
b. The test needs to be conducted within 18 hours before departure.
c. For an indirect flight from India to Canada with a layover in, say UK or Germany, we would need to conduct a COVID-19 test at the airport during our layover.
d. We will have to upload our test results on the ArriveCan app before departure.
Considering these requirements, we decided on the Vancouver-Delhi-Mumbai route as we didn’t want to add any third country into the mix.
India’s COVID-19 Guidelines for International Arrivals
The latest guideline is from Oct 20, 2021. Make sure to check India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare website for any updates. Here is a quick summary of the current guidelines for people travelling from Canada to India (New Delhi Airport) –
a. One should have a negative RT-PCR test even if you are fully vaccinated. This test (i.e. the sample collection) should be conducted 72 hours before departure.
b. One should submit a self-declaration form on the Air Suvidha portal before departure.
India Inter-State Air Travel COVID-19 Guidelines
To make things more interesting, each State in India has its own guideline on Air Travel. Indigo, an Indian airline, has done a great job presenting and summarizing this information on its website.
We would still be considered “international arrivals” for our flight from Delhi to Mumbai. So, irrespective of our vaccination status, we would need to show an RT-PCR negative test result. Also, we had to make sure that the test was conducted within the 72-hour window of our departure time for Mumbai.
On our flight back for Mumbai-Delhi, currently, there is no COVID-19 test requirement. However, once we are in Delhi, we will have to do an RT-PCR or a Rapid PCR test at the Genestrings Lab at the airport before departing for Vancouver. Thankfully, a rapid PCR test has a turnaround time of 30 to 60 minutes.
Are you still reading? Bravo!
Here is some more data from the Worldometers website –
Air India vs. Air Canada
Both Air India and Air Canada offer direct flights from Vancouver to Delhi. However, with Air Canada, we will be hopping on a Vistara flight (Air Canada partner) for our Mumbai flight. Considering the cost and potential issues (delays, baggage, etc.) of adding another airline to the mix, we booked our flights with Air India. Vancouver-Delhi-Mumbai and the same route back.
I forgot to mention earlier, but Pune Airport is closer to my hometown (Ahmednagar) than Mumbai. So we would have preferred to fly Delhi to Pune, but Pune airport was closed Oct 16-30. Fun times!
LifeLabs Strike
With the flights booked, now it was time to get our RT-PCR tests done. BCCDC provides a good list of all locations for COVID-19 testing in British Columbia. We opted for LifeLabs, considering the cost ($150+tax) and the positive experience of a friend.
LifeLabs provides a handy tool to identify the test window based on the requirements (72 hours in our case) and departure/arrival time. Now, LifeLabs does not guarantee test results within 24 hours. However, the LifeLabs agent we talked to assured us that their Richmond lab can provide results within 24 hours. So, we booked our test for Saturday, Oct 23, 8 am at Richmond – about 26 hours before our scheduled departure on Oct 24.
A few hours after we made our booking, Gaurav shared a news article about LifeLabs workers going on strike. So after a few more calls to LifeLabs, we re-booked our test for Friday, Oct 22, 8 am at Shoppers Drug Mart in Langley. The sample will be picked up by LifeLabs at 2 pm before the proposed strike starting at 7 pm on Friday.
RT-PCR Test
We showed up a few minutes before our scheduled test time, and there was a lineup at Shoppers Drug Mart. Some people were there for the flu shots. The store opened at 8 am, and we were called in for the test within fifteen minutes. It was a nasal swab test, and after seeing my reactions, Kavya was not so sure about the test. Thankfully, it was not an option.
We got our test result by 10 pm the same day. Negative. All good to travel. In hindsight, booking our test 48 hours before our departure was helpful as we had to upload the test result and other information to the Air Suvidha portal. We also had to print the self-declaration form from the Air Suvidha portal and the RT-PCR test results for our check-in at Vancouver airport.
Air India Vancouver-Delhi Flight
We got to Vancouver airport about 3.5 hours before our departure time thinking we got here early. Nope. There was already a lineup and the check-in process had already started.
One of the Air India agents checked in our bags and gave us our boarding passes. She said we don’t have to collect bags in Delhi and can pick them up directly in Mumbai. Also, we will be issued boarding passes for the Delhi-Mumbai flight once we land in Delhi.
At the gate, I got a full-body suit. All passengers lucky enough to sit in the middle seat got one for additional protection from coronavirus.
For the most part, people followed the COVID-19 specific protocol. We had one emergency and call for help from a medical professional, but other than that the flight was non-eventful. After a 16-hour flight, we arrived in Delhi.
Air India Delhi-Mumbai Flight
After going through immigration, we made our way to domestic transfers. Just to make sure, we were doing it right, I asked the information desk if we need to collect bags in Delhi. Yes, you need to collect bags clear customs and then check in again with Air India for the domestic flight. Made sense but the complete opposite of what the Air India agent had told us in Vancouver.
It took us close to two hours to get our bags. Thankfully, we had booked our flight with more than four hours layover. Soon we realized that we couldn’t do the domestic transfer as we didn’t have a boarding pass for our next flight. We had to exit the airport and get in line to check-in for the domestic flight. The agent glanced at our RT-PCR tests and then checked us in.
After a two-hour flight, we arrived at Mumbai International Airport. We collected our bags and made our way to the exit.
Mumbai requires all international passengers to show a negative RT-PCR test and airport staff were instructing everyone to get their documents ready. We had our documents out but to our surprise, no one checked them as we exited the airport.
We had a cab ready for us and we hopped in around 11 pm IST. It was another six-hour drive from Mumbai to Ahmednagar. Door to door it took us close to 34.5 hours. At least we get a six-week break before we do this again.
Resources:
Country Guidelines for International Arrivals: Canada | India
Pre-Arrival Registration: Canada | India
COVID-19 Testing: British Columbia | LifeLabs | India – New Delhi Airport
Airline Guidelines: Air Canada | Air India | Indigo (India Inter-State)
Disclosure: The links I have shared in the post and under the Resources section are not affiliate links.
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Hi Shashi, I am originally from India as well (lived in Mumbai for 28 years, after having grown up in Kolkata) having lived here now for over 20 years. My last trip there was in 2019 for a trek in Garhwal and Sikkim and my 2020 trip had to be cancelled due to Covid. After reading the complicated process of your flight to India I think I shall wait for more time before I step onto an India bound flight!!
Aloke – thank you for reading this post and your comment. If you don’t mind me asking which trek did you do in Garhwal and Sikkim?
Hi, thanks for the detailed information about your travel experience, it is of great help. If possible, can you please let me know what kind of test you booked in Delhi T3 airport, a Rapid PCR test or RT-PCR test? Thanks in advance.
Aakash – Thanks for your feedback.
I haven’t booked the test yet. We have an eight-hour layover in Delhi, but considering the time it will take us to get to the test center, I think we will book the Rapid PCR (results within an hour) test.
Hi Shashi,
Wow, what a trip. I wonder how difficult it would be for seniors who may not be well versed on these apps!
We visited India in 2015 as tourists. Love the people and history. My husband and I happened to look at our India photos just yesterday, reliving our memories,as we’re not planning to go overseas fora while. Too many rules that being changed frequently.
Ngoc
Ngoc – thank you for your comment. Yes, it is challenging and that’s why many people book with agents who can help them with all the documentation and processes. I agree there are a lot of uncertainties around travel. If it was not for visiting family in India, not sure we would book these flights.
We have booked return travel from Hyderabad, India to Montreal via Delhi and LHR on March 30, 2021 with BA We have 4 hours in Delhi. Where can we get the PCR test done? Ticket is not refundable. We cannot change to get an earlier flight to Delhi to allow enough time for PVR test. We do not know if we are allowed to board at HYD with a PCR test in HYD (hopefully negative). We are returning Canadian citizens, fully vacinated and expect the booster shot before leaving for India. Do we have to forego our return ticket and get a new ticket? Could we get tested at LHR for the final leg to Montreal. Is our flight a direct flight or an indirect flight?Are there testing facilities at LHR?
Sorry, but I am not familiar with the process at LHR or Hyderabad so can’t comment on it. In terms of tests at Delhi, I would recommend checking this website – https://www.newdelhiairport.in/covid19-test-appointment-booking
Hi Shashi,
I have booked a KLM flight (one-way) from Vancouver to Mumbai via Amsterdam for the first week of December.
Do you know, if while going to India from Canada, we need a direct flight (Air Canada/Air India) too or this is just for flight from India to Canada?
Note: I am a Canadian PR holder with an Indian Passport.
Thanks in advance.
Shobhit – sorry for the delay. I was travelling for the last one week and couldn’t get to the comments. Just posting here what I shared in my email to you –
As far as I know, there is no requirement to have a direct flight to India. Specifically for Mumbai, you need to have a negative RT PCR test within the 72-hour window. Now Mumbai calculates the window time differently, so I would recommend that you read the Mumbai Airport guidelines for International arrivals for the latest requirements.
Safe journey! Hope everything works out well.
Hi Shashi,
Thanks for this article. It cleared up more than most of the “official” websites did.
I have a quick question. I’m flying Vancouver-Delhi-Kolkata in December and returning via the same route in January.
I only have a 2.5 hour layover in Delhi on the way to Kolkata and a 6.5 hour layover on the way back to Vancouver. I realize the 2.5 hour layover is cutting it really fine but should I also change the 6.5 hour return layover given that I have to get an RTPCR test from delhi before I catch the connecting flight back to Vancouver? Or is it cutting it really thin? Any help much appreciated.
Sarshad – thank you for you reading the post and sharing your feedback.
It took us almost two hours to get our bags in Delhi, so we would have missed our flights if we had a two and half hour layover. In terms of return, I think you will have to go for a Rapid PCR test as RT PCR test results are available in 8-10 hours. We have a eight hour layover and we will be booking Rapid PCR test in Delhi.
Wish you the best! Safe travels!
A few other things to consider if you continue with your current schedule are whether you have another Air India connecting flight to Kolkata and what is Kolkata airport’s requirements for international arrivals. Would your RT-PCR test (if needed in Kolkata) fall outside any prescribed timeline?
Hi Shashi: I don’t know if you can help me. I am planning on traveling to Pune via Delhi, by Air India, from Toronto. The ticket will be booked for the whole flight- i.e with a single PNR.
My understanding is the luggage will automatically be transferred to the domestic terminal. Where would I clear customs? If it is in Delhi, will I be allowed to purchase duty free items and take the to Pune?
If I clear customs at Pune, is there a duty free outlet at Pune airport before exiting the airport area? Thanks.
Ellar,
We had to collect our bags and clear customs in Delhi. When you land, I would recommend checking with an Air India agent or the information desk. I have no clue about duty-free items.