Mumbai: As many as 40 UAE-bound passengers were recently stopped at the Mumbai airport for providing fake covid reports. The reports were flagged after discrepancies were found during a QR code check at the airport. The incident took place on November 12.
Indian passengers travelling to Dubai have to furnish two RT-PCR reports, one from 48 hours ago and another from six hours ago. The first test report is easy enough to get, but the second one poses some challenges for travellers, and they have to undergo a rapid RT-PCR test that gives a result in just 13 minutes. However, where a normal RT-PCR test costs Rs 1000, the new rapid version of the tests comes in at a relatively higher rate of Rs 4500.
Passengers are allowed onboard only after the QR code on the report submitted by the passenger is checked and approved.
Following the incident, the Mumbai Airport Administration barred the concerned passengers from travelling by air, and the pre-registration process for the fast RTPCR test was also suspended, airport officials said.
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