Scheduled international commercial flights suspended till January 31: DGCA

The suspension on scheduled international commercial flights has been extended till January 31 amid rising global concerns surrounding the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed on Thursday. 

Less than a week after announcing it will retart scheduled international commercial flights from December 15, the aviation watchdog had on December 1 decided not to resume its services amid concerns over the new ‘variant of concern’. 

“The competent authority has decided to extend the suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger services to and from India till 2359 hours of January 31, 2022,” news agency PTI quoted the DGCA saying in a statement on Thursday. 

International commercial flights have been suspended to and from India from March, 2020 due to the pandemic. 

Special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May 2020 and under bilateral “air bubble” arrangements with selected countries since July 2020.

India has formed air bubble pacts with around 32 countries including the US, the UK, the UAE, Kenya, Bhutan and France. Under an air bubble pact between two countries, special international flights can be operated by their airlines between their territories.