India-US international flights to resume today via ‘air bubbles’

Bringing  an end to the long wait of Indians in the US, the Union Civil Aviation Ministry on Thursday said that the international flights will start flying  to the US from today.

Addressing a press conference, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said after much negotiation, the country has established individual bilateral bubbles with France and the US to allow airlines of each country in the pact to operate international flights.

He also added that a similar arrangement with the UK and Germany will soon be permitted soon.

The minister in the press conference added that the American carrier United Airlines will be flying 18 flights between India and the US from July 17 to 31.

He said the United Airlines is flying daily flight between Delhi and Newark and a thrice-a-week flight between Delhi and San Francisco.

“In case of the United States, we have an agreement with United Airlines to operate 18 flights between India and US from July 17 to 31 but this is an interim one,” Puri added.

According to the minister, Air France will start operations with 28 flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru to Paris between July 18 and August 1.

“We are at a very advance stage of negotiations with at least 3 countries – France, US and Germany for air bubble. Air France will be operating 28 flights from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru to Paris between July 18 and August 1,” Puri said.

Travel bubbles, also known as travel bridges or green corridors, remove the waiting period for travelers from certain countries.

However, the aviation minister noted that India is planning to establish a bubble with the UK soon under which there would be two flights per day between Delhi and London.

“We have got a request from Germans also. I think the arrangement with Lufthansa is almost done…We are processing that request,” Puri said. From India, Air India will be operating flights to France, Germany and the US under these bubbles.