India- US International flight service has started from today. India has signed individual bilateral “bubbles” with France, Germany, and the United States.
The Air Bubble agreement allows airlines in each country in the pact to operate international flights, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said yesterday.
Air bubble with the US
The American carrier United Airlines is flying 18 flights between India and the USA from today until July 31.
“They (United) are flying a daily flight between Delhi and Newark and a thrice-a-week flight between Delhi and San Francisco,” Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.
“In an initiative to further expand our international civil aviation, bubble agreements are being made with the United States, the United Arab Emirates, France and Germany, while similar agreements are being worked out with several other countries,” Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted.
Air France to operate from July 18
Air France will be operating 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Paris from July 18 to August 1.
What is an air bubble?
An air bubble is a bilateral agreement with a number of regulations and restrictions in which the airlines of both countries can operate international flights.
“Under this arrangement airlines from the concerned countries will be able to operate flights from & to India along with Indian carriers.
“I have no doubt these will be beneficial for our citizens who are stressed & distressed abroad or those who want to fly out,”Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in a tweet.
Air India will be operating flights to France, Germany, and the US From India under these bubbles.
India-UK air bubbles soon
India plans to build a bubble with Britain soon, under which two flights a day will take place between Delhi and London.
“We have got a request from Germans also. I think the arrangement with Lufthansa is almost done…We are processing that request,” Puri said.
On July 9, India had announced an air bubble with the UAE that would be in place from July 12 to 26.
India-UAE air bubble
The India-UAE bubble was approved on July 9 under certain conditions.
Charter flights operated by UAE airlines are allowed to bring UAE Indian nationals to India and on their return flight carry “UAE residents approved by ICA,” said the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri, said on Thursday that until international civil aviation can get its pre-COVID numbers back, India will fly through bilateral bubbles.
Planned international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
(Source – Live Mint)
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