Airlines ready to add capacity on Indian sector

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With India's lifting ban on international scheduled flights, the airlines operating out of the Sultanate of Oman are expected to add capacity to pre-pandemic levels gradually from March 27.

India's Civil Aviation Authority said that the resumption of commercial international passenger services would imply reversion to bilaterally agreed capacity entitlements and termination of air bubble arrangements.

"Airlines will, however, restrict their operations to capacity entitlements under bilateral traffic rights available with the airlines, with effect from March 21, 2022,” the statement said.

Special passenger flights have been functioning between India and around 40 countries since July 2020 under air bubble arrangements.

In a message to the Observer, an official of GoFirst said, "The airline, which used to operate flights to Mumbai and Kannur in the pre-pandemic days, will soon resume services to both these destinations as we finalise our schedules."

Speaking to Observer, the regional manager for Air India in the Sultanate of Oman, said, "Starting March 27, we will resume regular services following the schedules that were in place before."

"Passengers are expected to get a reprieve from high ticket fares as airlines bound for India are likely to operate daily services, which were restricted under the Air Bubble agreement. Some private airlines will also resume service bringing in more competition," a senior executive of a leading travel portal based in India said.

He added it will still take some time for fares to stabilise especially in the context of rising prices of aviation fuel.

All travellers will be subject to strict adherence to India's guidelines for international travel dated February 10 and as amended from time to time.

Regular international flight operations will resume from March 27 and will follow the standard operating procedures effective at Indian airports for foreign arrivals and departures, the government said on Tuesday.

Scheduled international flight services have remained suspended in India since March 23, 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

PCR tests and quarantines are exempted for fully-vaccinated passengers.