Regular international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23.
New Delhi:
India has signed bilateral agreements with France and the United States that will allow airlines in each country to operate international flights starting Friday, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said Thursday, adding that similar agreements with Germany and the United Kingdom were also under preparation.
“Until international civil aviation can recover its figures prior to COVID, I think the answer lies in bilateral air bubbles which will transport a possible number of people, but under defined conditions because the countries always impose entry restrictions, including India, “said the minister at a press conference. press conference.
The American carrier United Airlines will operate 18 flights between India and the United States from July 17 to 31, and Air France will operate 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Paris from July 18 to August 1, he said.
“They (United) fly daily between Delhi and Newark and fly three times a week between Delhi and San Francisco,” said Mr. Puri.
The minister said that India plans to conclude such agreements with the United Kingdom soon, under which there will be two flights a day between Delhi and London.
“We have also received a request from the Germans. I think the agreement with Lufthansa is almost finished … We are processing this request,” said Mr. Puri.
“Now we have many requests for air bubbles, but we must be careful. We must allow this number only that we can manage,” said the minister.
From India, Air India will fly to France and the United States under these bubbles.
The announcement comes weeks after the United States accused India of “unfair and discriminatory practices” for arranging exclusive paid flights as part of its “Vande Bharat mission” to bring Indians from other countries.
Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
After nearly two months of suspension to fight the coronavirus epidemic, the government resumed regular domestic passenger flights on May 25.
However, he then authorized the airlines to operate a maximum of 33% of their domestic flights prior to COVID. The Ministry of Civil Aviation increased the limits on June 26 from 33% to 45%.
“We assume that by the time Diwali arrives this year, we will have 55-60% of the pre-COVID domestic flights operating in India,” Puri said at the press conference.
(With agency contributions)
