International flights to US, France set to start today

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said that international flights may resume with other countries with certain conditions in July. This will have certain entry restrictions given the coronavirus pandemic.

“Till international civil aviation can reclaim its pre-COVID numbers, I think answer will lie through bilateral air bubbles, which will carry a possible number of people but under defined conditions as countries are still imposing entry restrictions including India,” said Puri.

A travel bubble or a bilateral air bubble is a travel corridor between two countries. This is an exclusive partnership considered between countries that have either largely eliminated the virus.

The Minister said that international flights will restart with the US, France and three other countries.

“We are at a very advanced stage between with three countries and it is a work-in-progress. For example, Air France will be operating 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Paris from 18 July to 1 August while US will be flying 18 flights between July 17-31, but this is an interim one. We have request from German carriers to permit flights to India and we are processing it,” he said.

Over 80,000 people have also flown out of the country since the outbreak of the pandemic. This is the fourth phase of the mission. The first phase of the mission commenced on 7 May.

Puri also said, there might be a short extension on the airfare cap on domestic flights beyond 24 August due to the demand.

All commercial passenger flights were suspended in India on 25 March after the nationwide lockdown was imposed.