India to resume international flight services from March 27
Regular international flights will resume from March 27 after being suspended for nearly two years. During this time all officers in force at Indian airports for foreign arrivals and departures will follow the Standard Operating Procedures.
Giving information, the Government of India said, “After recognizing the increased vaccination coverage across the world and in consultation with the stakeholders, the Government of India has decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services to India with effect from 27.03.2022”
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said, “The suspension of scheduled commercial international passenger flights to/from India is, thus, extended only up to 2359 hrs IST on 26.03.2022.”
In view of the steady decline in COVID-19 cases, it has been decided by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to resume scheduled international flights after a gap of two years.
India had banned regular international flights from March 23, 2020 due to the COVID crisis. However, in the meantime, flights were being operated under special arrangements like ‘air bubble’. Since July 2020, special passenger flights are operating between India and about 40 countries under the air bubble arrangement.
The health ministry had on February 14 issued revised guidelines for international arrivals, and did away with the mandatory seven-day home quarantine and the requirement to undergo an RT-PCR test on the eighth day. Also, the countries listed in the ‘at risk’ category were removed.
