Int'l flights to resume once countries ease foreigner entry restrictions: Puri

India will take a decision on resumption of international passenger flights as soon as countries ease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday (June 7).

Countries like Japan and Singapore have put significant restrictions on entry of foreigners amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“A decision to resume regular international operations will be taken as soon as countries ease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals. Destination countries have to be ready to allow incoming flights,” Puri said on Twitter.

Due to increasing demand for resumption of scheduled international flights by people who want to travel abroad due to compelling reasons, I reviewed the state of international flight operations around the world.

Globally the situation is far from normal.@MoCA_GoI @PIB_India

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 7, 2020

India resumed its domestic passenger flights on May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.

“Most countries have less than 10 per cent international operations because they are allowing entry only to their own citizens & have placed restrictions on foreign nationals,” the minister stated.

We have let outbound passengers on VBM flights to fly to countries which allow them entry. More than 13500 people have flown out of India. @airindiain has sold another 22000 tickets for flights to US & Canada yesterday (5-6 June).Bookings for Europe & other places will open soon.

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 7, 2020

Many countries are allowing inbound flights from a few nations, but have placed restrictions like quarantine or isolation, he said.

Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India. However, special repatriation flights are being operated by Air India and other airlines to countries across the world under the Vande Bharat Mission.

A decision to resume regular international operations will be taken as soon as countries ease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals. Destination countries have to be ready to allow incoming flights.

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 7, 2020

On June 1, Puri said several factors like the lockdown in metro cities and the ban imposed by various countries on the entry of foreigners need to be addressed before resuming international passenger flights in India.

Airports in West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and Tamil Nadu have been allowed to handle a restricted number of daily domestic flights as these states do not want a huge influx of flyers amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases.