India has extended the ban on scheduled international commercial passenger flights to and from the country till November 30.
Earlier, the ban was to end at the end of October. In a tweet, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the ban will not apply to all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by it.
“An international scheduled flight may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis,” the tweet adds. India has not allowed scheduled international flights to and from the country since March 25 when the first lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic was put in place.
India has entered into travel bubble arrangements with 18 countries, including the US, the UK, France, Germany, Bangladesh, Maldives and some countries in West Asia to facilitate the travel of people. Flights being operated under the bubble arrangements will continue to be operated.
Travel bubble arrangement
Transport Bubbles or ‘Air Travel Arrangements’ are temporary arrangements between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. They are reciprocal in nature so airlines from both the countries that form a bubble enjoy similar benefits.
For travel between India and the US certain categories of people, including American citizens, legal permanent residents, foreign nationals holding valid US visas or any Indian national holding any type of valid US visa, are allowed to board these flights. In addition, seamen of foreign nationalities, seamen holding Indian passports are allowed to board these flights subject to clearance from the Ministry of Shipping.
Stranded Indian nationals and all Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) with US passports are also allowed on flights from the US to India.