'Closely monitoring situation': Scindia on resuming int'l flights amid Omicron scare

Amid the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant, 'Omicron', Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday said the situation is being closely monitored and reviewed in consultation with other ministries regarding ''any further decision'' on resuming scheduled international passenger services.

On November 26, the government decided to restart scheduled commercial international passenger services to and from India from December 15. These services remain suspended since March 23 last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, on November 28, the government said the decision to resume the services will be reviewed in the wake of the cases of people getting infected with the COVID variant 'Omicron' in different parts of the world. 

'Situation being closely monitored & reviewed': Jyotiraditya Scindia

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Jyotiraditya Scindia said the decision to resume the flights from December 15 was taken after recognising the increased vaccination coverage across the globe, changing nature of the pandemic, and considering the health protocols, which have been put in place for international arrivals.

The minister said, "However, in view of the evolving global scenario with the emergence of new variants of concern, the situation is being closely monitored and reviewed in consultation with other Ministries, with regard to taking any further decision on the issue."

Currently, international passenger flights are operated under bilateral air bubble arrangements with several countries in a restricted manner. As of Wednesday, India had formalised an air bubble arrangement with 31 countries in total. These arrangements provide air travel bubble arrangements, direct/indirect connectivity to more than 100 countries, Minister of State for Civil Aviation VK Singh said in a separate written reply to the Rajya Sabha. 

In response to a query on whether airfares for returning students and family members from Europe and North America are doubling and even quadrupling this winter, Singh said that as per details of fare submitted by Air India, the only Indian carrier operating to Europe and North America, United Airlines and Lufthansa, the average fares for travel by economy class under the air bubble arrangements are 'comparable to the average fares during the Winter 2019 schedule.' United Airlines operates services between India and the US, while Lufthansa has flights between India and Germany.

(Image: Pixabay/PTI)