March 15 could see resumption of international flights

Indian airports will follow the standard operating procedures that is effective for foreign arrivals and departure, according to government sources

PRAVASISAMWAD.COM

Long-awaited regular international flights could start from March 15. Indian airports will follow the standard operating procedures that is effective for foreign arrivals and departure, according to government sources.

With the continuing decline in Covid cases, India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, after consultations with the Health Ministry have taken a decision to resume scheduled international flights. The Health Ministry’s approval is mandatory due to the prevailing Covid situation across the globe. And, that is perhaps why no official announcement has been made by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

“Regular International flights is likely to resume from March 15. The Guidelines for International Arrivals, which came into effect from February 14, will be followed at airports for the passengers of these flights,” an official was quoted saying.

Scheduled international passenger flights in India have been stopped till February 28. These flights were suspended in India since March 23, 2020.

The Health Ministry issued guidelines for international arrivals, with effect from February 14, doing away with the mandatory seven-day home quarantine and the need for them to undertake an RT-PCR test on the eighth day.

“The time around March and April has been really scary and excruciating if we see last two years. I really want things to get better now without any further delay, so that business and money flow continues. TAAI has been in continuous dialogue with Ministry of Tourism, Aviation, Health and other relevant government bodies for this since a long time.”

— Jyoti Mayal, President TAAI

Apart from uploading a negative RT-PCR report, taken 72 hours before the journey, there is an option to upload certificates of the completion of the full primary Covid vaccination schedule provided from countries on a reciprocal basis. The differences between countries ‘at-risk’ and other countries have been removed.

Tourism sector welcomes resumption of international flights: India’s resumption of regular international flights from the middle of March has been welcomed by the tourism industry. Jyoti Mayal, President, TAAI said that the news gave her “sheer pleasure to hear about the resumption of commercial International flights beyond air bubbles. The official announcement is still awaited anxiously from the industry & travellers. The time around March and April has been really scary and excruciating if we see last two years. I really want things to get better now without any further delay, so that business and money flow continues. TAAI has been in continuous dialogue with Ministry of Tourism, Aviation, Health and other relevant government bodies for this since a long time”, Mayal said.

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