Air India Express suspended its flight operations to Dubai till October 2, after a passenger was found positive for COVID-19.

The airline suspended its operation as a person onboard a Jaipur to Dubai flight on September 4 was tested positive for coronavirus, in a second such instance, SA Kankazar, Air Transport, and International Affairs Sector, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority said.

Both the instance happened in the last couple of weeks, the officials said, after which the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority suspended Air India Express flights from September 18 to October 2.

The airline has rescheduled all their Dubai-bound flights to Sharjah, Air India Express said.   

As per the UAE government rules, each passenger travelling from India need to bring an original COVID-negative certificate from RT-PCR test done 96 hours prior to the journey.

“A passenger, who had a COVID-positive certificate dated September 2, travelled on Air India Express’ Jaipur-Dubai flight on September 4. A similar incident had happened with a passenger on one of the airline’s other Dubai flights previously,” said one of the officials.