Aviation regulator DGCA has extended the suspension on international flights till September 30, leaving just enough room for flights operated in the travel bubble.
In a statement on August 31, the regulator said the restriction doesn’t apply to international all-cargo operations and flights it has specifically approved.
“However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on case to case basis,” the DGCA said, announcing the visa and travel restrictions.
International flights were first suspended in March, coinciding with a similar restriction on domestic operations, and a national lockdown to limit COVID-19 spread.
While domestic operations resumed on May 25, international flights were operated, initially, only by Air India under the Vande Bharat Mission, the repatriation exercise.
Later, even as the government expanded the scope of the Mission, also allowing private airlines to operate flights, it established travel bubbles with countries. Under these travel bubbles, airlines from both India and the destination countries operate flights.
