Announcing the resumption of international commercial flights, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that bilateral air bubble arrangements with US, UAE, France and Germany are being put in place while similar arrangements are also being worked out with several other countries.

Earlier, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) extended the suspension of scheduled international passenger flights in the country till July 31. Scheduled international passenger flights were suspended in India from March 23.

What is an air travel bubble?

A travel bubble or a bilateral air bubble is a travel corridor between two countries that wish to reopen their borders and re-establish connections with each other. This is an exclusive partnership considered between countries that have either largely eliminated the virus, or trust the testing numbers. 

Flights to and from these countries will be allowed on the basis of this bilateral agreement.

The concept of air bridges is based on reciprocity with the said countries allowing Indian citizens to fly into their borders and India allowing their citizens to fly into its borders.

American carrier United Airlines will be flying 18 flights between India and the US.

Air France will be operating 28 flights between Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Paris from July 18 to August 1.

Similarly, India is planning to establish a bubble with the UK soon under which there would be two flights per day between Delhi and London.

Air bubble with the UAE is already in place which started on July 12.

Talks are on with Lufthansa to set up a travel bubble with Germany. 

Why did India decide to create ‘air travel bubble’?

India’s ‘consideration’ for air travel bubbles comes after the US restricted ‘Vande Bharat’ repatriation flights being operated by Air India – accusing India of being “unfair,” and engaging in “discriminatory practices.”

To enter the US border, Air India needed authorisation from their government to conduct such flights. France, too, had asked India to fly to Paris without bringing incoming passengers.

Vande Bharat Mission

Indian government had launched the Vande Bharat Mission, considered to be the world’s largest expatriation exercise to bring back stranded Indians from foreign destinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

India’s national carrier Air India and the Air India Express have operated a total of around 2,000 flights under this programme and carried over 6.87 lakh passengers.

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