More Oman flights likely as India to resume intl operations
Published: 04:11 PM,Nov 27,2021 | EDITED : 08:11 PM,Nov 27,2021
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With India deciding to resume regular international flights from December 15, expectations are high that Gulf countries including the Sultanate of Oman will be allowed to operate more flights in a week.
India’s Civil Aviation Ministry said that scheduled international flights to and from India will be resumed from December 15.
“Resumption of commercial international passenger services would imply reversion to bilaterally agreed capacity entitlements and termination of air bubble arrangements,” the Civil Aviation Ministry said in its latest announcement.
The decision, however, comes even as several countries are tightening travel restrictions after a new coronavirus variant has been identified in South Africa.
The ministry indicated that 14 countries will be barred due to the new Covid-19 strain in these nations.
Quoting Press Trust of India, reports said that the countries, which do not feature on the list, include the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Singapore.
“The decision has been taken in consultation with the health ministry in light of the Covid situation across the world, especially the emergence of new variants,” reports said.
A statement from the Civil Aviation Ministry said that countries outside the “at-risk” list will be allowed 100 per cent of pre-Covid flights. Countries on the “at-risk” list, but with whom India has an air-bubble, will be allowed 75 per cent of pre-Covid flights, while those with which India doesn’t have air-bubbles will be allowed 50 per cent of pre-pandemic flights.
“Due to prevailing Covid-19 situation, the capacity entitlements shall be as per the category of countries based on enlistment of countries as at-risk from time to time by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” the ministry added. The report comes as a sigh of relief for the Indian community in the Gulf region, said an official with a leading travel agency in Muscat.
“We expect that the Sultanate of Oman will be on the list of countries that will see more flights to and from India in a week. The announcement will result in a fall in airfares on key routes, as well as allow travellers to take via flights, which was banned under the air bubble arrangements,” he said.
India banned regular international flights operations in a coronavirus-induced suspension in March 2020. The Civil Aviation Ministry started Vande Bharat flights to ferry Indians who got stuck in other countries during the pandemic.
air bubble
After the Vande Bharat flights, the ministry entered into air bubble agreements with some countries, allowing international travel.
Under an air bubble agreement between the two nations, airlines of both countries can operate special flights between their territories with certain restrictions.
It also stressed that all scheduled international flights will have to strictly adhere to the Union Health Ministry’s protocols for international travel issued on November 11 this year.
India’s Civil Aviation Ministry said that scheduled international flights to and from India will be resumed from December 15.
“Resumption of commercial international passenger services would imply reversion to bilaterally agreed capacity entitlements and termination of air bubble arrangements,” the Civil Aviation Ministry said in its latest announcement.
The decision, however, comes even as several countries are tightening travel restrictions after a new coronavirus variant has been identified in South Africa.
The ministry indicated that 14 countries will be barred due to the new Covid-19 strain in these nations.
Quoting Press Trust of India, reports said that the countries, which do not feature on the list, include the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Singapore.
“The decision has been taken in consultation with the health ministry in light of the Covid situation across the world, especially the emergence of new variants,” reports said.
A statement from the Civil Aviation Ministry said that countries outside the “at-risk” list will be allowed 100 per cent of pre-Covid flights. Countries on the “at-risk” list, but with whom India has an air-bubble, will be allowed 75 per cent of pre-Covid flights, while those with which India doesn’t have air-bubbles will be allowed 50 per cent of pre-pandemic flights.
“Due to prevailing Covid-19 situation, the capacity entitlements shall be as per the category of countries based on enlistment of countries as at-risk from time to time by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” the ministry added. The report comes as a sigh of relief for the Indian community in the Gulf region, said an official with a leading travel agency in Muscat.
“We expect that the Sultanate of Oman will be on the list of countries that will see more flights to and from India in a week. The announcement will result in a fall in airfares on key routes, as well as allow travellers to take via flights, which was banned under the air bubble arrangements,” he said.
India banned regular international flights operations in a coronavirus-induced suspension in March 2020. The Civil Aviation Ministry started Vande Bharat flights to ferry Indians who got stuck in other countries during the pandemic.
air bubble
After the Vande Bharat flights, the ministry entered into air bubble agreements with some countries, allowing international travel.
Under an air bubble agreement between the two nations, airlines of both countries can operate special flights between their territories with certain restrictions.
It also stressed that all scheduled international flights will have to strictly adhere to the Union Health Ministry’s protocols for international travel issued on November 11 this year.