Decision on international flights after other countries ease restriction: Hardeep Singh Puri

New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said that the decision on resuming regular international flights will be taken only after other countries ease their restrictions on entry of foreign nationals and allow incoming flights.

Taking to Twitter, Puri said, "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."

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 minister in a series of tweets also said that due to the increasing demand for resumption of scheduled international flights by people who want to travel abroad due to compelling reasons, he reviewed the state of international flight operations around the world, but globally, the situation is far from normal.

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

Sharing information about the evacuation done under the massive Vande Bharat Mission (VBM), Puri said that around 38,000 inbound Indian citizens returned on around 640 chartered flights. More such flights are being given permissions.

Puri, who is overseeing mission tweeted: "We have let outbound passengers on VBM flights to fly to countries which allow them entry. More than 13500 people have flown out of India."

"@airindiain (Air India) has sold another 22000 tickets for flights to US & Canada yesterday (5-6 June). Bookings for Europe & other places will open soon," he added.

Further, national carrier Air India in a tweet said that Indian citizens and OCI cardholders who wish to travel on evacuation flights departing from US and Canada can book their tickets through the Air India website for flights departing from these two countries on or after June 11. It also said that the applicants should be registered with the local embassy or the high commission.