Ban on regular commercial international passenger flights extended until further notice

New Delhi, Feb 28: The DGCA has announced that scheduled international commercial passenger flights will be suspended until further notice. In the same notification, the DGCA also stated that the restrictions will not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the authority.

India currently has air transport bubbles with 40 countries, including Canada, France, Germany, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the US.

Ahead of this, the DGCA had announced the extension on the ban on international flights till February 28. the latest order of suspension of flights continues the scheduled international passenger flight ban which has been in place in India since March 23, 2020. However, special passenger flights have been operating between India and approximately 40 countries since July 2020 under air bubble arrangements formed with them.

Additionally, fights under air bubble arrangement will not be affected. The DGCA had on November 26, 2021, announced that India will resume scheduled international passenger flights from December 15, 2021.

Just a day later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the Civil Aviation Ministry and the DGCA to review its decision in wake of the rising concerns of the COVID-19 variant Omicron. On December 1, 2021, the DGCA revoked its November 26 decision without saying how long the suspension of scheduled international flights continues.