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Travel Guide

After a 2 year wait, India resumes international flights.

This is great news for overseas travellers as they can resume their visits to India. The reopening of international borders has been long-awaited, there has been a pent-up need to travel to India for passengers waiting to see their family and loved ones.

After 2 years of suspended travel, India will reopen its international borders on March 27th, 2022. Travel industry professionals expect flight fares will be much lower than exorbitant bubble charges, but travellers are made aware that plane fares are unlikely to be close to their pre-pandemic prices. It is estimated that with the reopening of Indian international borders, there is a high opportunity for more connectivity/choices between countries, leading to lower fares. The Ukraine conflict will undoubtedly cast its shadow on these expectations.

The aviation minister says “international operations shall be subject to strict adherence to (current) health ministry guidelines’ India’s strict health guidelines had prohibited the international borders from opening in December 2021 but was abruptly cancelled due to the COVID-19 variant Omicron.

COVID-19 Restrictions in India

From February 14, Individuals from 82 approved countries (including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, Japan, and Thailand) are no longer required to take a pre-departure test to visit India, however, they must present proof of vaccination. Unvaccinated arrivals will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours.

How Russian airspace closure impacts routes to India

Unrestricted travel will give individuals more options to choose from, but the rising fuel costs will increase the overall ticket prices. American Airlines and many other airlines have stopped using Russian airspace to fly to India and making additional stops to refuel. On Monday United airlines announced they are suspending Delhi-San Francisco and Mumbai-Newark flight routes as they are no longer fuel or time-efficient as Russian airspace is out of bounds. They will continue shorter Delhi-San Francisco slights. Air India is one of the few airlines that continues to utilize Russia’s airspace.

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Travelling in 2022 with Gaura Travel

As there are no quarantine or travel restrictions required in place, plan your journey to reunite with your family & friends with Gaura Travel in this year 2022. Find all available flights options with us.

https://gauratravel.com.au/flight-deals/

Categories
Travel Guide

International Border Closures to Finally End, Complete Reopening on February 21st

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has just announced that international borders will reopen for all visa holders who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Australian borders have been slowly reopening since min December 2021, ensuring that family members of citizens, permanent residents and international students the first to return.

After new medical advice, Scott Morrison has said the new border rules would come into place on 21st February, “The condition is you must be double vaccinated to come to Australia,” he said.

Along with the reopening of Australian borders comes good news for the tourism sector since the past two years have been nothing but drought for the tourism businesses during the border closures.

“Over the next two weeks they’ll get the opportunity both for visitors to be coming and for them to be gearing up to welcome international visitors back to Australia,” Mr Morrison said.

Fully Vaccinated, Travel Easy

Since the borders are reopening this February 21st, the mandate has been to be fully vaccinated which means that you have successfully received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccination. Individuals who have not received two doses of COVID-19 vaccination will need to apply for an exemption to travel into Australia, “If you’re double vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia,” Morrison said during a media briefing.

The decision to relax the Australian Borders was taken as Australia has already been riddled by the new variant Omicron therefore the double vaccinated travellers do not pose extra risks.

Double vaccinated travellers still need to get a negative result on the PCR test three days before travel or perform a supervised Rapid Antigen test 24 hours before travel to ensure exemption from quarantine.

Western Australia is still abiding by the Covid zero strategy and is expected to keep in place the rule of 14 day quarantine and arrival caps which will prevent a large number of international tourists from entering the state.

Strict border rules and snap lockdowns have helped Australia keep coronavirus cases far lower than other comparable countries, in saying that cases have hit a record break height fuelled the new variant Omicron.

Find LIVE updates on:

The Age:

https://www.theage.com.au/national/australia-news-live-barnaby-joyce-text-fallout-continues-nation-s-total-covid-19-cases-continue-to-grow-20220207-p59u9d.html?post=p53bhl#p53bhl

ABC News:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-07/international-covid-borders-to-reopen-scott-morrison/100810580

Travelling in 2022 with Gaura Travel

As there are no quarantine or travel restrictions required in place, plan your journey to reunite with your family & friends with Gaura Travel in this year 2022. Find all available flights options with us.

https://gauratravel.com.au/flight-deals/

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Flight Deals

Why you need a new ‘return booking’ strategy

Over the many decades that we have all been travelling, it has almost always been a case of booking a return fare, as opposed to buying two single fares simply because a ‘bundle’ has always been cheaper than the individual parts.

But the last two years have proved that our decades of travelling experience count for nothing.

The Australian Government has announced its imminent plans to open international borders, resulting in a flood of eager travellers who are ready to book and ready to fly.

But a word of caution. Actually, a few words of caution. Choosing the ‘return bundle’ is no longer   the best option. Not right now anyway.

Making any predictions into the future is a risky proposition, especially in the world of travel. But we can explain what all of this means for you in the present-day scenario with a great deal of certainty.

Booking a flight OUT of Australia to India, is by far the cheapest option. As you are aware, airfares are a complex function of several variables, and at present the rates will be low.

But what about the return leg? As things stand, flying back into Australia is an expensive option.

Again, there is very little travel agencies like us can do about it, owing to numerous external factors out of anyone’s control.

I haven’t seen my family in years

We hear you. Which is why we recommend the following:

If you are travelling to India to visit family and friends, we suggest you wait until the return fares become normalised and then book your way back to Australia.

As our customers, you will be the first to know of the changes in the return fares.

Over the last two years, numerous families have been separated geographically. Let us put an end to all the waiting, to all the ‘I miss you’ messages, to the yearning thoughts about loved ones – let us put you on a flight to the country that continues to live on in your heart.

But if you don’t have to rush back to Australia, then we suggest, you wait and watch. While none of us have a crystal ball to read the future, what we know is that as both India and Australia continue to march towards their vaccination targets, the restrictions on the number of passengers will change, along with a few other factors.

It will only become easier to book a cost-efficient journey back to Australia.

So, what should be my new travel strategy?

Book a one-way ticket to wherever home is and we will get you there. Re-unite with your family, celebrate all the birthdays you missed, fill your heart with the smells and flavours of India and wait….until the time is right to book your return flight.

If in doubt, please speak to our friendly staff. We have spoken to thousands of passengers, and we know what you need to have a beautiful trip to India…and back.

Travelling in 2022 with Gaura Travel

As there are no quarantine or travel restrictions required in place, plan your journey to reunite with your family & friends with Gaura Travel in this year 2022. Find all available flights options with us.

https://gauratravel.com.au/flight-deals/