New Delhi, Nov 26th : .India will allow the resumption scheduled international passenger services starting December 15, it was announced Friday. The government stated that there would be a calibrated resumption from countries considered “at-risk” by the Health Ministry.This includes countries in South Africa, Brazil and China.
The nationwide lockdown to stop the spread of Covid-19 caused passenger air services to be suspended in March 2020.Domestic flight services resumed on May 25, 2020, but international flights were not allowed to resume until ‘Bubble Agreements’.
India currently has air bubble pacts in place with 28 countries.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), issued a circular on Friday.It stated: “The matter was reviewed and the competent authority decided to resume scheduled international passenger services to/from India starting 15 December 2021.”
“Accordingly, the scheduled international passenger services to/from India will remain suspended until 2359 hours IST on 14 December 2021.”
In the circular, the DGCA stated that resumption commercial international scheduled passenger services would imply reversion of bilaterally agreed capacity entitlements as well as termination of air bubble arrangements.
Nevertheless, Covid-19 is prevailing and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare may enlist countries “at risk” to determine the entitlements to capacity.
The DGCA circular also stated that “the seats under an air bubble arrangement that have been sold by airlines and which exceed the capacity entitlements under bilateral ASAs, or traffic rights, with the airlines, will not be allowed to operate until December 14, 2021.”
“Such airlines will limit their operations to capacity entitlements in bilateral ASAs or traffic right available with them, effective December 15, 2021.”
This announcement comes at a moment when the ‘B.1.1529 strain of Covid-19 was first identified in South Africa and then later discovered in Hong Kong.It is believed to contain more transmissible Covid-19 variants than the previously reported 30.
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