International flight may resume soon

DGCA and AAI planning to recommence operations to Europe, U.S., Canada

After largely closing its airspace to commercial flights, the Ministry of Civil Aviation is contemplating to resume international flights by this month itself.

Sources told The Hindu that the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) are weighing the options for recommencing international flights, especially to Europe, the U.S. and Canada.

However, any decision in this regard would be taken only in accordance with the lifting of travel restrictions imposed by other nations to control COVID-19. Several Non-Resident Indian (NRI) organisations and expatriates have been demanding resumption of the flights to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations.

Big demand

“Numerous people have been approaching us to restart the international flights. Several factors need to be addressed. Many international destinations are not allowing incoming passenger traffic except for their own citizens or diplomats,” Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Civil Aviation, tweeted on Monday evening.

Sources said some nations such as Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE have rolled back their lockdown measures. But these nations have not lifted the restrictions imposed on foreign residents. Flights are subjected to prior approval from the General Authority of Civil Aviation in Saudi Arabia and passengers have not been allowed to enter Kuwait.

Sources said NRIs holding valid residence permits in the UAE have approached the Ministry of Civil Aviation to work or business. India is willing to fly out people having valid documents to countries which are allowing foreigners to enter. But due to the travel restrictions, the evacuation flights to the UAE are going empty from India, the Minister said.

50,000 evacuated

Already more than 50,000 Indians have been evacuated through the Vande Bharat mission from first week of May. However, the number of passengers ferried by outbound flights is about 13,000 till now. Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express are now preparing to significantly increase the flights.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs has laid down guidelines for the fifth phase of the lockdown to facilitate the gradual and calibrated reopening of the aviation sector. About 50% of the domestic flights will resume operation in the coming days.

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