International Flights Resume in India

International Flights Resume in India

India suspended international airline operations in March 2020, following the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic. Later, the flights were restored to transport Indians returning from abroad, followed by bubble flying arrangements with a few countries.

Under the 'air bubble,' India currently allows airlines to operate a limited number of flights to nations with which it has bilateral agreements. In a recent announcement, the government confirmed that India will resume all international operations from March 27. 

Travel New Updates For Flights 

• India announced on Tuesday that scheduled commercial flights to international destinations will resume on March 27, resuming unrestricted travel for the first time in two years and since the COVID-19 outbreak began.

• "The government of India has decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services after having recognized the enhanced vaccination coverage around the globe and in consultation with stakeholders," the ministry of civil aviation said in a statement.

• Under an 'air bubble' agreement, India used to enable airlines to fly a restricted number of flights to nations with which it has a bilateral agreement. As a result, the airline industry suffered economic losses. 

• Following a decrease in the number of Covid cases and a decrease in the third wave, India released new recommendations for overseas travelers landing in India last week. A reduction in the requirement for a negative Covid-19 test result report, as well as mandatory quarantine for fully vaccinated travelers traveling from 82 countries, were among the changes.

Good news for travelers!

Indians can now plan their summer vacation in a foreign destination for affordable rates this year. Travelers will benefit from the government's decision to suspend the two-year ban on international commercial flights, as tickets for overseas flights are projected to drop by as much as 40%. "We may expect international fares to revert to pre-Covid levels when capacity returns, connectivity improves, and new routes are added," Aloke Bajpai, group chief executive of travel platform Ixigo, told the Economic Times.

In the next months, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), which is part of the Lufthansa Group, wants to nearly double flight capacity, while Singapore Airlines plans to increase capacity by 17%. IndiGo Airlines, a local airline, is also slated to begin over 100 international flights in the coming months.

Increased capacity would also assist airlines to cope with the high cost of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) as global crude oil prices rise. ATF costs have risen by more than a hundred percent since last year.

Without bubble agreements, prices would have risen considerably more because of the limited number of US carriers flying to India and other locations, said Rajesh Magow, group chief executive of Makemytrip. "However, costs will stabilize as a result of the decision to allow regular foreign flights and the resulting increase in capacity," he continued. Others believe that increasing capacity will be compensated by rising fuel prices, resulting in a marginal reduction in travel expenses.

Sy Yen Chen, Singapore Airlines' general manager for India, added that the expansion of routes in Singapore Airlines will give more Indian customers access to Singapore as a key destination and travel hub. This will help all tourists heading East and looking for a getaway this summer. Countries like Egypt, Lebanon, France, Turkey, and Norway have relaxed covid regulations for travelers from India. 

Next week onwards, travelers to Bali will no longer be required to complete a mandatory hotel quarantine. According to sources, Bali recently lifted quarantine for vaccinated tourists from more than 20 countries and reintroduced visas on arrival as it moves closer to reopening following the COVID issue, which lasted two years.