DGCA: Over 3200 international flights to boost connectivity between India & other countries

Welcoming the summer influx of tourism and the decline in COVID-19 cases in India, DGCA approved over 3,200 departures from India per week during this year's summer schedule. Reportedly, Indian carriers will host over 1,466 departures per week, meanwhile, foreign airlines are due to operate over 1,783 departures per week, as approved by the aviation regulator DGCA. Notably, the Summer Schedule 2022 is effective from March 27, 2022, till October 29, 2022.

Here's to our international vacay plans

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2F2022%2F03%2Fflights-1-2.jpeg&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.indianexpress.com&s=971&h=ef96a81bd98a7188f965b8f3c218292068a1aca19ef5047565dc1de26226edd5&size=980x&c=2007265818 photo_credit="" pin_description="" dam="0" site_id=20074994 caption="" photo_credit_src="https://images.indianexpress.com/2022/03/flights-1-2.jpeg" crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252F2022%252F03%252Fflights-1-2.jpeg%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fimages.indianexpress.com%26s%3D971%26h%3Def96a81bd98a7188f965b8f3c218292068a1aca19ef5047565dc1de26226edd5%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2007265818%22%7D" expand=1]

According to the approved schedule, IndiGo will operate the most departures at 505 per week, followed by Air India at 361, Air India Express at 340, SpiceJet at 130, GoAir (GoFirst now) at 74 and Vistara at 56. Apart from this, a total of a whopping 60 foreign airlines from 40 countries have been given the approval to operate 1,783 flights to and fro India during the busy 'Summer Schedule 2022'.

Out of the approved schedule, Gulf-based carriers like Emirates will operate the most departures at 170 per week, followed by Oman Air at 115, Air Arabia at 110, Qatar Airways at 99, Gulf Air at 82, Etihad Airways at 80, Saudi Arabian Airlines at 63 and Kuwait Airways at 56 among other airlines. Recently, the Central government allowed the resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services from March 27.

COVID-19 restriction unfolded

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Fphoto%2F88992457.cms&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.toiimg.com&s=206&h=54fe318c9f12a24f3f5394c98f0f2524bd9eafe66b1a16bbfa081f56775127ef&size=980x&c=888738755 photo_credit="" pin_description="" dam="0" site_id=20074994 caption="" photo_credit_src="https://static.toiimg.com/photo/88992457.cms" crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Fphoto%252F88992457.cms%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fstatic.toiimg.com%26s%3D206%26h%3D54fe318c9f12a24f3f5394c98f0f2524bd9eafe66b1a16bbfa081f56775127ef%26size%3D980x%26c%3D888738755%22%7D" expand=1]

Last month, India's civil aviation regulator had extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till further orders. On March 8 an official communique said "After having recognised the increased vaccination coverage across the globe and in consultation with the stakeholders, the Government of India has decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services to or from India from March 27, 2022."

After allowing the resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services from December 15, 2021, with certain conditions, the plan was postponed due to the emergence of the third COVID wave globally. India had first banned the operation of international flights on March 23, 2020, to contain and control the spread of Covid-19. However, flight restrictions were later eased under air bubble arrangements with various countries.

- With inputs from IANS