India Resumes Regular International Flights After COVID-19 Hiatus, Relief In Airfare Expected

India had banned the operation of international flights on March 23, 2020 to contain and control the spread of Covid-19.

New Delhi: After over two years since the pandemic hit the country, India on Sunday resumed regular international flights. The approval for regular international flights comes under the summer schedule, which will be applicable from today till October 29. “Scheduled international flight services have resumed today. This will help India connect to the world. A total of 135 new flights have been inaugurated under Summer Schedule 2022,” said Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Union government has also eased COVID-19 safety rules at airports and in flights, like having to keep three vacant seats inside an aircraft for social distancing. Now, with the easing of COVID curbs, and resumption of international flight operations in full capacity, airlines are expected to bring much-needed relief regarding airfares with competition back in the market. Under the previous “air bubble” agreements, the number of flights was restricted to some 2,000 a week, leading to ticket prices soaring high.

Scheduled international flight services have resumed today.This will help India connect to the world. 135 new flights have been inaugurated under Summer Schedule 2022. A flight b/w Gorakhpur-Varanasi has also been inaugurated today:Union Civil Aviation Min Jyotiraditya M. Scindia pic.twitter.com/2r7vgtnpIE

— ANI (@ANI) March 27, 2022

Key Points Regarding Fight Operation Under Summer Schedule

1. Under this year’s summer schedule, over 3,200 departures per week will be operated from India per week.
2. According to the aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), 1,466 departures per week have already been approved for Indian carriers. On the other hand, 1,783 departures per week will also be operated by foreign airlines.
3. “A total of 1,466 departures per week have been approved to 43 destinations in 27 countries,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement.
4. A total of 60 foreign airlines of 40 countries including Mauritius, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey, the United States of America, Iraq and others have been approved to operate 1783 frequencies to/from India during Summer Schedule 2022.
5. Out of the approved schedule, Gulf-based carriers like Emirates will operate 170 departures per week, followed by Oman Air at 115, Air Arabia at 110, Qatar Airways at 99, Gulf Air at 82, Etihad Airways at 80, Saudi Arabian Airlines at 63 and Kuwait Airways at 56.
6. Furthermore, Sri Lanka Airlines will operate 128 departures per week, Singapore Airlines at 65, British Airways at 49, Thai Airways at 36, Lufthansa German at 32, Malaysia Airlines at 30, Japan Air Lines at 22, Air France at 20, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines at 18 and Aeroflot Russian Airlines at 6.
7. In addition, the Centre has allowed operations to and from India to a few new airlines such as Salam Air, Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, Qantas and American Airline.

India had banned the operation of international flights on March 23, 2020, to contain and control the spread of Covid-19. Flight restrictions, however, were later eased under air bubble arrangements with certain countries. Now after over two years, with the COVID-19 situation under control, the Central government has allowed the resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services from March 27.

(With inputs from agencies)