Indian citizens who do not have a transit or regular Schengen visa will be denied to board on European Union (EU) carriers such as Lufthansa, Air France, and KLM, who are supposed to go to the United Kingdom via these airlines’ hubs in Frankfurt or Munich, Paris and Amsterdam, respectively.
As the UK is no longer part of the European Union, it has been made mandatory for non-EU citizens to get a transit Schengen visa to fly to the UK on transit flights operated by its airlines.
According to reports, the EU reportedly decided to “punish” the UK by requiring non-EU citizens to get a transit Schengen visa to fly to the UK on transit flights operated by its airlines. However, while not being a member of the EU, Switzerland is exempt from this rule for its airline Swiss.
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Though the new development could affect passengers from India to the United Kingdom, they can pass through the Gulf and Switzerland without needing a transit visa. Nonstop flights of Air India, Vistara, British Airways, and Virgin Atlantic are the other alternatives.
A Schengen visa is a short-term visa that allows its holder to travel freely throughout the Schengen area, covering 26 countries or “Schengen States” without border controls.
This is an authorisation granted by a Schengen State for the purpose of — a planned stay in the Schengen States for no more than 90 days in any 180-day period (“short-stay visa”) and transit through the Schengen States’ international transit areas (“airport transit visa”).
Earlier, India had a bubble system for foreign connectivity when regular international flights were not operational. The bubble system was designed primarily for point-to-point travel between India and other countries, with some conditional connections permitted.
As per this, there were direct flights between India and the UK or via destinations such as the Gulf.
Now with countries easing Covid protocols, regular flights have started operating. But with the mandate from the EU, many travellers, particularly those without transit Schengen permits who have booked flights from India to the UK with Lufthansa or Air France-KLM, are into trouble since they are denied boarding at the Indian origin airport.
