International Air Travel To And From India Still Limited

India has still not opened its airspace completely and is operating under individual bilateral air bubbles with several countries. India’s Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated during a press conference last week that following long negotiations, the country has established individual bilateral bubbles with France and the US to permit airlines of each country in the pact to operate international flights.  He revealed that a similar arrangement with the UK and Germany will be permitted soon.
In addition, the minister said that 18 flights will travel between India and the US, which will be organized by the American carrier United Airlines from July 17 to 31.He added the United Airlines is flying daily flight between Delhi and Newark and a thrice-a-week flight between Delhi and San Francisco.

“In case of the United States, we have an agreement with United Airlines to operate 18 flights between India and US from July 17 to 31 but this is an interim one,” Puri added.

With regard to flights to France, the minister noted that Air France will start operations with 28 flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru to Paris between July 18 and August 1.

“We are at a very advance stage of negotiations with at least 3 countries – France, US and Germany for air bubble. Air France will be operating 28 flights from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru to Paris between July 18 and August 1,” Puri said.

The aviation minister also remarked that India is planning to establish an air 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,” Puri said. From India, Air India will be operating flights to France, Germany and the US through these bubbles.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Ministry established an India-UAE air bubble on July 9 under specific conditions. Charter flights operated by the UAE carriers have been permitted to bring Indian citizens from the UAE to India and carry ‘ICA-approved UAE residents’ on their return travel route. The air bubble would be in place from July 12 to 26.

For the India to the UAE journeys, all these flights have been permitted to carry only those passengers whose final destination is the Gulf country.

What is air bubble?

An air bubble is a bilateral arrangement with a set of regulations and restrictions in which the airlines of the two countries can operate international flights.

International passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 as a measure to fight the coronavirus pandemic.  The government resumed scheduled domestic passenger flights on May 25 after nearly two months of suspension of International flights.

 

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