Regular International flights to remain suspended till November 30

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced on October 28, 2020 that the suspension on scheduled international commercial passenger services to and from India has been extended till November 30, 2020.

The DGCA had earlier extended the ban on scheduled international commercial passenger services to and from India till October 31, 2020. The same has been extended till November 30th. 

Suspension on scheduled international commercial passenger services to/from India extended till November 30: Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) pic.twitter.com/fFRJ5UVVlP

— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2020

However, the scheduled international passenger flights and cargo flights approved by the government will continue to operate. India has signed an Air Bubble agreement with various countries to allow international scheduled flights on selected routes on case to case basis.

Following is the DGCA circular:

pic.twitter.com/oTn8RwPWvO

— DGCA (@DGCAIndia) October 28, 2020

The DGCA's announcement comes a day after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs extended the guidelines for re-opening issued on September 30th till November 30, 2020.

India's Air Bubble Agreements

India has bilateral air bubbles in place with as many as 18 countries. To further widen its international civil aviation operations, India recently entered into an air bubble arrangement with Bangladesh.

As per the agreement, the Indian and Bangladeshi airline carriers will operate 28 flights each per week between the two countries.

To further widen our international civil aviation operations, an air bubble arrangement is now in place between India & Bangladesh.

Carriers of India & Bangladesh will operate 28 flights (per week) each between the two countries.

Number of such arrangements now reaches 18.

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) October 21, 2020

India and Germany also restarted to and fro flights under an air bubble arrangement. The two nations will operate 5 weekly flights from Delhi to Frankfurt and 2 flights every week from Bengaluru to Frankfurt. 

Flights between India & Germany recommence under air bubble arrangement. Lufthansa will operate from Delhi (4 days), Mumbai (3 days) & Bengaluru (3 days). @airindiain will operate 5 weekly flights from Delhi & 2 every week from Bengaluru to Frankfurt.@MoCA_GoI

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) October 21, 2020