Scheduled worldwide passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23.
New Delhi:
India has signed bilateral agreements with France and the US that may enable airways of every nation to function worldwide flights beginning Friday, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri mentioned on Thursday, including that related preparations with Germany and the UK are being labored out too.
“Till international civil aviation can reclaim its pre-COVID numbers, I think the answer lies in bilateral air bubbles which will carry a possible number of people but under defined conditions as countries are still imposing entry restrictions including India,” the minister mentioned at a information convention.
American provider United Airlines can be flying 18 flights between India and the US from July 17 to July 31 and Air France can be working 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Paris from July 18 to August 1, he mentioned.
“They (United) are flying a daily flight between Delhi and Newark and a thrice-a-week flight between Delhi and San Francisco,” Mr Puri mentioned.
The minister mentioned India is planning to ascertain such agreements with the UK quickly below which there could 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,” Mr Puri mentioned.
“Now we have many demands for air bubbles, but we need to be careful. We should permit that many only that we can handle,” the minister mentioned.
From India, Air India can be working flights to France and US below these bubbles.
The announcement comes weeks after the US threatened to take motion, accusing India of “unfair and discriminatory practices” for operating unique paid flights below its “Vande Bharat Mission” to convey again Indians from different nations.
Scheduled worldwide passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 as a result of coronavirus pandemic.
After almost two months of suspension to fight the coronavirus outbreak, the federal government resumed scheduled home passenger flights on May 25.
However, it had then allowed the airways to function most 33 per cent of their pre-COVID home flights. The Civil Aviation Ministry elevated the bounds on June 26 from 33 per cent to 45 per cent.
“We are assuming that by the time Diwali comes this year, we would have 55-60 per cent of pre-COVID domestic flights operating in India,” Mr Puri mentioned on the information convention.
(With inputs from businesses)
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