India To Resume Scheduled International Commercial Flights From March 27 After Two Years

International Flights Resumed: International operations shall be subject to strict adherence to Ministry of Health guidelines for international travel, said Civil Aviation Ministry

An Air India aircraft prepares to land (File photo: getty)

New Delhi: The government of India on Tuesday has decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services from 27.03.2022. International operations shall be subject to strict adherence to Ministry of Health guidelines for international travel, said Civil Aviation Ministry as quoted by news agency ANI.

Govt of India has decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services to/from India from 27.03.2022. International operations shall be subject to strict adherence to Ministry of Health guidelines for international travel: Civil Aviation Ministry pic.twitter.com/3dfVgTbrm0

— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2022

Passenger air services were suspended in late March 2020 due to the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of Covid-19. While domestic flight services resumed from May 25, 2020, international flight services were only maintained via 'Bubble Agreements'.

On February 28, the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had expanded the restriction on commercial international passenger flights until further orders.

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After deliberation with stakeholders &keeping in view the decline in the #COVID19 caseload,we have decided to resume international travel from Mar 27 onwards.Air Bubble arrangements will also stand revoked thereafter.With this step,I’m confident the sector will reach new heights!

 

- Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) 8 Mar 2022

India has air transport bubbles with Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, US and Uzbekistan.

The Indian government had recently intended to continue scheduled international flight operations from December 15 onwards. However, this arrangement was wrecked because of the emergence of Omicron which lead to the government pulling out the choice to continue scheduled international flights.

Worldwide flights were first suspended in March 2020 after a nationwide lockdown was imposed to tackle the first wave of the Covid pandemic.

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