New Delhi (CNN) – For the first time since March, India allows regular international flights to the country.
During a press conference on Thursday, the Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri confirmed the establishment of “air bubbles” between India and the United States, France and Germany.
“Until international civil aviation can claim its pre-Covid status in terms of numbers, the answer lies in these bilateral air bubbles, which will carry as many people as possible but under defined conditions,” said Puri.
“Because many countries continue to impose entry restrictions, like us, it is not that no one can travel from one place to another. A permit is required.”
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23, with the exception of repatriation flights.
As of July 15, almost 690,000 Indian citizens had been transferred to their homes on these flights, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Puri told the media that the ministry has already signed an agreement with France. Air France will operate 28 flights in the Delhi-Mumbai-Bangalore sector to Paris between July 18 and August 1.
The minister said Air India will also operate daily flights between India and France for the rest of the month, but added that these plans are subject to change as details are finalized.
As for the United States, he said they agreed to allow United Airlines to operate 18 flights between India and the United States from July 17 to 31. These will include daily flights between Delhi and Newark and services three times a week between Delhi and San Francisco. .
Although not yet officially confirmed, Delta is expected to fly 18 flights from Friday to the end of the month between India and the United States, Puri said.
“All of these tickets are being sold in one direction,” he said. “So this is not normal business operations.”
The talks with Lufthansa are almost over, he added, noting that they are still working on agreements for flights to and from Germany.
Puri acknowledged that there is a high demand for bilateral air bubbles at this time, but added that they should proceed with caution.
“We should do as much as we can,” he said. “Our health infrastructure, for example, the number of quarantine facilities; all states have a mandatory one-week quarantine. Therefore, we must have facilities for that.”
Although regulations vary by state, those returning to India must observe a mandatory quarantine for a minimum of seven days upon returning to the country. (In some states, they allow people to observe quarantines at home, and in others it varies depending on whether the traveler is symptomatic.)
At the moment, entry is restricted to Indian citizens or with foreign citizenship of India, an official said during the press conference. Some foreigners will also be allowed, he added, but that will be subject to restrictions, which he did not elaborate on.
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