Omicron: India extends international flight ban

• Shubham
• 09 December, 2021

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By: Shubham Ghosh

INDIA has extended the ban on scheduled international commercial passenger services to and from the country till end of January, 2022. 

THE office of India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday (9) announced that restrictions on scheduled international commercial passenger services from and to the country have been extended till January 31, 2022, but those restrictions will not be applicable to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the civil aviation regulator.

A circular issued by the civil aviation regulator said, “The competent authority has decided to extend the suspension of Scheduled International commercial passenger services to/from India till 2359 hrs 1ST of 31st January, 2022. This restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA.”

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Asian News International reported that the international scheduled flights are likely to be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis.

Omicron: India defers international flights resumption

“International Scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on case to case basis,” the circular added.

The latest announcement from the regulator came amid the rise of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus across the world.

In November, the Indian aviation ministry had announced that it was in line to restart regular international flights from December 15.

It had said then, “The matter of resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services to and from India has been examined in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and it has been decided that scheduled commercial international passenger services to and from India may be resumed from December 15, 2021.”

But recently, the decision was reversed due to the rise of the new variant.