India Extends Suspension on International Flight till 31 Dec, allows Selected Flights

All international flights to and from India have been further suspended till 31st December due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The flights will be operating on very few selected routes on a case-to-case basis, as per the circular released by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). These restrictions do not apply to the operations of international cargo and the flights that are approved by DGCA. This decision came after the country witnessed the COVID-19 tally that has gone up to 9.26 Million with 135,223 death tolls. 

This suspension, in effect since March 23 for international commercial passenger flights from/to India, was to expire on November 30. 

However,  since May some special international flights are operating under the Vande Bharat Mission, later more flights were added under the arrangements of bilateral ‘air bubble’ with all the selected countries till July. 

In a notification, DGCA said, “In partial modification of circular dated 26-06-2020, the competent authority has further extended the validity of circular issued on the subject cited above regarding Scheduled International commercial passenger services to/from India till 2359 hrs 1ST of 31St December, 2020”. 

India has currently formed air bubble pact with 18 countries including UAE, Kenya, Bhutan, US, the UK and France. 

Under this air bubble pact between the two stated companies, the special international flights will be allowed to operate by the airlines in between the territories. 

Earlier this year, all the scheduled domestic flights resumed in the country by 25th May after a gap of two months amidst the pandemic situation.