India’s civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that international flights will only restart when domestic traffic reaches about 50-60 per cent.
He said, “We can start regular international flights when our domestic traffic reaches about 50-60 per cent and other countries open up to international traffic without present conditionalities.
“Once the situation evolves in that direction we will consider a calibrated opening.”
On the subject of international operations, Puri reiterated that the resumption of international flight operations is depended on when other countries ease restrictions and open up their borders for travellers.
Domestic flight services in the country resumed on May 25, and currently, airlines are operating less than 33 per cent of their total capacity.
Puri expects the domestic air travel market to rebound by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, the aviation minister lauded the Indian carriers for their contribution in the repatriation drive, Vande Bharat Mission.
He stated that “with private Indian carriers like Vistara, Indigo and Goair joining forces with Air India Group, Ministry of External Affairs and our missions abroad, we are able to bring back Indians in even larger numbers under Vande Bharat Mission.”
