Regular international flights may resume from March 15

TIL Desk/Business/New Delhi/ Regular international flights are likely to resume from March 15 and will follow the standard operating procedures effective at Indian airports for foreign arrivals and departure, government sources said on Monday.

Given the consistent decline in COVID cases, a decision on resuming scheduled international flights has almost been arrived at by the civil aviation ministry following consultation with the health ministry, they said.

However, no official announcement has been made by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation so far.  “Regular international flights is likely to resume from March 15. The guidelines for international arrivals, which came into effect from February 14, will be followed at airports for the passengers of these flights,” an official source said.

The ban on scheduled international passenger flights in India is in effect till February 28.  Such flights have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.  Special passenger flights have been functioning between India and around 40 countries since July 2020 under air bubble arrangements.

The health ministry has issued revised guidelines for international arrivals, with effect from February 14, doing away with the mandatory seven-day home quarantine and the need for them to undertake an RT-PCR test on the eighth day.