Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday that the future of international flights now depends on the availability of a vaccine. Responding to a question on whether the travel bubble arrangements will continue until March-April, the minister said: “It is difficult to say as there is no country that has fully opened its borders to everyone. It depends on the availability of a vaccine, as countries will feel safer once there is a vaccine. “
Air bubbles are specific agreements between countries to allow airlines from both countries to carry passengers. Regular international passenger flight services have been suspended until October 31. The minister hinted that this suspension is likely to last until March-April. “There are basically three issues to consider before resuming scheduled international flights. One, to resume domestic connectivity connecting larger cities with smaller towns, which we have already done. Second, the nature of the virus that I cannot comment on and third is international restrictions. All countries want their people to return, but for others there are many restrictions, “said Puri.
National airlines will soon be able to increase their capacity to 75 percent. Currently, they are operating at 65 percent of capacity, after domestic flights resumed operations on May 25, after a two-month lockdown gap. “There is no deadline. But this may happen soon as national numbers rise. Before this I said that the pre-covid domestic number will be achieved between Diwali and New Years. Now I am sure that by the first quarter of next year we will be able to exceed the pre-covid number, ”said the Minister of Civil Aviation.
“This marks the beginning of the second phase of domestic travel, as we are now preparing to face the challenge of welcoming more people at airports, as the holiday season is almost upon us. We recently had a meeting with the airlines on this, ”said Pradeep Singh Kharola, secretary of civil aviation.
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