International Passenger Flights Likely To 'Normalise' By End Of The Year: Civil Aviation Secretary

Since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020, all scheduled international flights to and from Indian remained suspended. The suspension has been extended till November 30.

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New Delhi:  The Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal on Wednesday said that International passenger flight services are to be "normalised" very soon, most likely by the end of the year. 

The normalisation of international flights is expected "very soon" and by the end of this year, Bansal said reported PTI.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020, all scheduled international flights to and from Indian remained suspended. The suspension has been extended till November 30.

Currently, India has air bubble arrangements with more than 25 countries for operating international flights. Under an air bubble arrangement between two countries, international passenger flights can be operated by their respective carriers into each other's territories subject to certain conditions.

Last week, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the government was evaluating the process for normalising international operations and asserted that it wants to return to normalcy while keeping in mind the coronavirus pandemic situation in certain parts of the world.

"I am all for regaining our space in the civil aviation arena in the world and making a hub in India and for more wide-body aircraft. We will get there but bear with me and trust me, I am on your side. We will work together but in a safe environment," he had said, reported PTI.

Vistara on Sunday said a prolonged suspension of scheduled international flights to and from India is impacting the financial health of most airlines and also cautioned that it might be too early to conclude that the country's aviation sector is out of the woods.

Vistara CEO-designate Vinod Kannan said most predictions about the recovery of the aviation industry have been proven wrong in these times of great unpredictability, and it might be too early to say that the Indian aviation industry is completely out of the woods. On the domestic front, air traffic is nearing pre-COVID-19 levels and grew 70 per cent in October compared with the year-ago period.

"A prolonged suspension of scheduled international operations is definitely impacting the financial health of most airlines, thereby adding to the pressure (on the revenue)," he told PTI