International flights to & from India have been suspended till Dec 31 this year in view of the COVID-19 pandemic & planes will fly only on select routes on a case-to-case basis, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a circular on Thursday. The restrictions, however, aren't applicable to international all-cargo operations & flights specially approved by the DGCA, it added. The extended suspension comes at a time when the country’s Covid-19 tally has soared past 9.26 million while 135,223 people have died of Coronavirus.
“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,” DGCA said in a notification ‘Travel & Visa restrictions related to Covid-19’.
The aviation regulator had earlier extended the suspension of international flight operations till Nov 30 & similarity allowed planes to fly on select routes. However, special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May & under the bilateral ‘air bubble’ arrangements with selected countries since July.
India has formed air bubble pacts with around eighteen countries, including the US, the UK, the UAE, Kenya, Bhutan & France. Under an air bubble pact between 2 countries, special international flights can be operated by their airlines between their territories.
Scheduled domestic passenger flights resumed in India on May 25 after a gap of two months amid the pandemic situation.
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