As some countries are lifting travel restrictions slowly, India is considering resuming international flights. With few exceptions, the country has banned incoming international flights since March.
Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s Civil Aviation Minister, signaled that India could soon lift the travel restrictions.
The minister published a series of tweets on Sunday (June 7). He said the regular international operations of flights could only be resumed once the destination countries are ready to allow the incoming flights.
A decision to resume regular international operations will be taken as soon as countries ease restrictions on entry of foreign nationals. Destination countries have to be ready to allow incoming flights.
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 7, 2020
The current ban on International flights in India is until June 30.
The minister also said that he is reviewing the state of international flight operations worldwide due to the increasing demand for resumption of scheduled international flights by people who want to travel abroad due to compelling reasons.
Due to increasing demand for resumption of scheduled international flights by people who want to travel abroad due to compelling reasons, I reviewed the state of international flight operations around the world.
Globally the situation is far from normal.@MoCA_GoI @PIB_India
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 7, 2020
He also pointed out that most countries are running international services at less than 10% of normal capacity. So it is not going to be an easy task.
The seafarers who are stuck at sea, and also those who are waiting to join their next ships have relentlessly appealed the government to start the International flights as soon as possible.