When international flights will start in india: latest news : For the past two years, Indians have faced various inconveniences due to the international flight ban. However, there is now good news: the Indian government has decided to lift the ban, effective from March 27th. The DGCA made the final announcement, sharing the decision on social media. Currently, India is operating under limited air travel conditions with bubble agreements for 40 countries. Once the ban is lifted, these bubble agreements can be terminated. This news is particularly welcomed by those seeking affordable flights from Canada or the USA to India.
Why did it got delayed?
Since the beginning of the year, there have been speculations about the resumption of international flights. Initially, the relaxation was scheduled for March 31st, then postponed to February 5th, and again to February 28th. The primary reason for these delays was the cautious objection from India’s health ministry in When international flights will start in india: latest news.
Now, with the pandemic under control and cases declining, the health ministry has given its final approval. Consequently, the DGCA has decided to resume regular flight operations. This decision comes after securing permission from the health ministry, marking a significant step towards normalcy.
Pas international flight bans in India
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, India imposed the first ban on all scheduled international flights on March 23, 2020. Despite this ban, certain flights continued to operate under specific conditions. These flights were governed by bilateral air bubble agreements, which restricted passenger interactions and ensured that only authorized airlines covered by these agreements operated between designated destinations.
During this period, only a limited number of people could avail of emergency airline travel after undergoing a rigorous application and documentation process with the airline ministry. Strict rules and guidelines were in place, including:
- Mandatory COVID-19 test taken at least 24 hours before travel
- Comprehensive medical and health check-up records
- On-site and airport screening
- Vaccination certificates
- Isolation mandates
- Compulsory mask usage and sanitary guidelines
- Home quarantine protocols
As time progressed, some of these guidelines were relaxed, although the government did not fully lift the international flight ban. When international flights will start in india: latest news. The updated guidelines included:
- Negative test report taken 72 hours before traveling
- Removal of hospital quarantine mandates
- Reduced home isolation periods
- Less stringent screening during check-ins and check-outs
- Relaxed screening and diagnosis protocols
International flights saw further relaxation in 2022, especially as the threat of the third wave of COVID-19, driven by the Omicron variant, began to subside. Despite a rise in cases in January 2022, the situation was controlled through proper vaccination, mass awareness, large-scale screenings, educational campaigns, and safety measures imposed by the government.
Official statement issued
In a recent statement, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced that they have observed a significant increase in vaccination rates across the nation. This progress, along with consultations from global stakeholders and a decline in COVID-19 cases, has led to the decision to lift the ban on international flights, driven further by a rise in domestic travel.
The official announcement stated, “After having recognized the increased vaccination coverage across the globe and in consultation with stakeholders, the government of India has decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services to and from India from 27.03.2022, i.e., the start of the summer schedule 2022.”
However, the ministry emphasized that the relaxation of the ban does not mean a relaxation of safety measures. Strict protocols remain in place, including:
- Mandatory mask-wearing during travel
- Sanitization at various points
- Use of the Aarogya Setu app for contact tracing
- Vaccination certificate checks
- Temperature screening
- Social distancing
- Thorough cleaning and sanitization of flights
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia also confirmed the news, highlighting the significant losses faced by the airline industry due to travel bans. He expressed optimism that this decision would aid the industry’s recovery. Air bubble arrangements will also stand revoked thereafter.
Routes which have no Indian presence
There are currently 22 international routes from Delhi with no Indian carrier operations. Similarly, there are 21 routes from Mumbai and 14 from Bengaluru lacking Indian airline presence.
Other cities also face a similar situation:
- Ahmedabad has nine such routes.
- Amritsar has four.
- Kolkata has eight.
- Coimbatore has three.
- Kochi has seven.
- Guwahati has three.
- Goa has six.
- Hyderabad has six.
- Bagdogra has two.
- Madurai has one.
- Jaipur has four.
- Lucknow has three.
- Chennai has eleven.
- Nagpur has two.
- Thiruvananthapuram has five.
- Trichy has three.
- Varanasi has one.
- Vizag has two.
In some instances, multiple foreign carriers operate on these routes while Indian carriers do not. For example, VietJet and Vietnam Airlines serve Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from Mumbai, but no Indian airline operates these routes. There are three airlines flying to Kuala Lumpur from Kochi and Delhi, but none of them are Indian.
Routes that have only Indian presence
Even Air India operates 26 monopoly routes, just one more than IndiGo, highlighting the significant gap IndiGo needs to bridge to establish a stronger international presence. Air India Express’s dominance is largely driven by routes originating from southern India, while Air India’s routes to destinations like Washington, Chicago, San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Vienna, and Copenhagen provide a crucial advantage.
Interestingly, there are also several destinations where two Indian carriers operate without any competition from foreign airlines. This includes:
- Two routes each from Ahmedabad and Amritsar
- Three routes each from Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, and Bengaluru
- Eight routes from Mumbai
- Five routes from Calicut
- Nine routes from Kannur
- Two routes from Kochi
- Seventeen routes from Delhi
- Two routes each from Goa, Indore, and Hyderabad
- Eight routes from Mangalore
- One route each from Chandigarh and Jaipur
- Two routes each from Madurai, Pune, Lucknow, and Surat
- One route each from Chennai, Varanasi, and Vijayawada
- Six routes from Trichy
Michel Harm
