Papua New Guinea bans India, Garuda Indonesia flights

Papua New Guinea has banned flights from India and barred both Garuda Indonesia and Hong-Kong-based charter specialist CapaJet from entering its airspace until further notice, in response to an incoming repatriation flight that allegedly breached pandemic-related travel rules, the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary announced on August 24. Police Commissioner David Manning, also the Melanesian country’s top Covid-19 official, expressed “anger and disappointment at the way in which India’s High Commission in Port Moresby deliberately participated in the deception that resulted in unauthorised passengers, including four infected with Covid-19, arriving in Papua New Guinea.” He warned that “the charter company and the airline, as well as any middle-men, will now face the consequences for their actions.” Story has details.<br/>