Restrictions on scheduled international passenger flights to/from India have been extended till August 31, 2021, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) informed in a circular issued on Friday.
This restriction shall not apply to international all cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA, it was informed.
“In partial modification of circular dated 26.06.2021 the competitive competent authority has for the extended the validity of circular issued on the subject cited above regarding scheduled international commercial passenger services to from India till 25 59 hours IST of 31st August 2021,” DGCA’s circular reads.
This restriction shall not apply to international all cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA, it adds.
“However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on scheduled routes selected routes by the competent authority on case to case basis” the DGCA stated.
The ban on international commercial flights to and from India was ending on July 31 as per the previous announcement.
Recently, 2 major UAE airlines, Etihad and Emirates further extended the suspension on flights from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka to Dubai due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emirates has suspended flight operations till August 7 while Etihad has extended the suspension till August 2, Geo News reported citing travel advisories from the carriers.
Emirates in its travel advisory said, “In line with UAE government directives, Emirates will be suspending the carriage of passengers from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to Dubai until 07 August 2021.”
Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since 23 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Aviation companies continue to face losses as Covid-19 continues to derail the revival of the aviation industry as well as the travel and tourism industry as cases continue to rise in several parts of the world despite the US, the UK and several nations in the European Union (EU) vaccinating its citizens at a faster pace.