New Delhi/UNI: India is set to allow scheduled commercial international flights from Dec 15, after almost 20 months of suspension in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Countries have been divided into three categories with separate capacity restrictions for resumption of flights.
Full capacity would be allowed with countries classified as "not at risk" by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a communication to aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Nov 26, "The matter of resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services to/from India has been examined in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and it has been decided that scheduled commercial international passenger services to/from India may be resumed from 15.12.2021."
The Ministry said that resumption of international flights would imply reversion to bilaterally agreed capacity entitlements and termination of air bubble arrangements.
Air bubble is a temporary arrangement between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended.
"The seats under air bubble arrangement which have already been sold by airlines, which are in excess of capacity entitlements under bilateral ASAs/traffic rights available with the airlines, will be allowed to be operated till 14.12.2021," the Aviation Ministry said.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.