India keeps scheduled international flights suspended till 31 August

The civil aviation regulator’s move comes amidst a spike in corona virus cases in the country, which is rising at an incremental rate.  

The government had suspended scheduled international commercial services in March till 31 July in the wake of the pandemic, while cargo flights and special flights approved by the DGCA have been permitted.

DGCA said the government had decided to “extend the suspension on the Scheduled International Commercial Passenger Services to/from India up to 2359 hours IST of 31st August”.

However, this restriction will not applicable for international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the DGCA, it added.

During the suspension period, India allowed more than 2,500 repatriation flights by foreign carriers to evacuate stranded passengers to/ from India, the statement noted.

Under the Vande Bharat Mission, Air India and Air India Express have uplifted 2,67,436 stranded passengers, and other charters have uplifted 4,86,811 stranded passengers from 6 May to 30 July period, it added.

Government proposes a gradual movement of passenger traffic during the Covid-19 situation. It has signed ‘Transport Bubble’ agreements with countries like USA, France, and Germany to facilitate movement of people in essential cases.

On 16 July, the ministry of civil aviation (MoCA) announced setting up 'air bubbles' and partially resumed international flights to destinations in the US, Germany, France. An air bubble is a travel corridor between two countries that will fly their aircraft in a regulated environment. This arrangement has been made due to several travel restrictions across the world because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

India is planning to establish a bubble with the UK soon under which there would be two flights per day between Delhi and London. "We have got a request from Germans also. I think the arrangement with Lufthansa is almost done...We are processing that request," civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.

The ministry of home affairs in its 'Unlock 3' guidelines has stated that International air travel will be permitted in limited manner.