Summary:
Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri again reiterated the words of Airports Authority of India (AAI) chairman Arvind Singh on Thursday that bilateral air bubbles can be the only way forward for flights to resume.
“Till international civil aviation can reclaim its pre-Covid numbers, I think the answer will lie through bilateral air bubbles which will carry a possible number of people but under defined conditions as countries are still imposing entry restrictions including India,” Puri said at a press conference.
Puri also said Air France will operate 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore to Paris from July 18 till August 1 while United Air will operate 18 flights between Delhi, Mumbai to Newark till 31 July
Scheduled international passenger flights have remained suspended in India since March 23 due to the pandemic.
Earlier this month, Airports Authority of India (AAI) chairman, Arvind Singh had said that India is in talks with the US and Canada and the countries in European and Gulf regions on establishing individual bilateral bubbles which will allow airlines of each country in the pact to operate international flights.