India’s skies reopen as international flights resume after a 2-year gap

After a coronavirus pandemic-induced hiatus of over two years, India on Sunday resumed international flight operation. The big move has been taken amid widening global vaccine coverage, the government has said.

Six Indian and 60 foreign airlines from 40 countries — but none from China as of now — started operating 3,249 weekly flights to and from India from Sunday under the summer schedule.

As many as 60 airlines from 40 countries have been permitted to operate 1,783 frequencies to/from India during the summer schedule, according to DGCA. The summer schedule will be effective from March 27 till October 29.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has approved a total of 1,466 international departures for six Indian airlines for the summer schedule. The airlines will operate to 43 destinations in 27 countries. Besides, various foreign airlines, including Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, and LOT Polish have also announced plans about their services to and from India.

A gradual increase in connectivity to the allowed number of flights is expected to lead to fares falling from the stratospheric levels of the bubble system, which lapses on Saturday. But they are likely to be higher than pre-Covid times due to Russia’s war on Ukraine pushing up oil prices.

Adapting to the world hit by the pandemic, the aviation industry - in the country and internationally - has faced many setbacks with new variants leading to the resurgence of Covid cases several times in the last two years.

France, Germany, Italy, China, South Korea are among the countries that have been dealt a blow of fresh waves this month. India, however, has been witnessing a drop in cases after Omicron-driven third wave in January.

The government has also revised the Covid guidelines for international flight operations, including the removal of the requirement to keep three seats vacant on overseas flights for medical emergencies.

Besides, the requirement for the crew for having a complete PPE kit has been done away with.