International Flights: When Will The Normal International Flights Resume? Not This Year

October 11, 2020

International Flights: Union Civil Aviation ministry has hinted that normal international flights might remain suspended till March-April 2021.
Notably, scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, special international flights have been allowed since July under the bilateral air bubble pacts formed by India with around 16 countries, including Germany.
Meanwhile, addressing a presser, a few days back, civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri had asserted that the future of resumption of normal international flights total depends on the availability of a vaccine against COVID-19 as countries will feel more confident once a vaccine is there.
He also said that three issues—international restrictions, nature of the virus, and resuming domestic connectivity, need to be considered before resuming regular international flights.
Furthermore, he added that international travel under the air bubble arrangement is expected to continue at least till March-April next year or till the time there is a vaccine against the deadly virus.

Under an air bubble agreement between two countries, special international passenger flights can be operated by their airlines to repatriate respective stranded citizens who are stranded COVID-19 pandemic.