Omicron Effect: Foreign Flights Unlikely To Resume On Dec 15

New Delhi: India’s earlier plan to resume scheduled international commercial flights from December 15 is likely to be postponed following the emerging global situation resulting from the spreading Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The government has already imposed restrictions at airports across the country for passengers from “at risk” nations.

“In view of the evolving global scenario with the emergence of new variants of concern, the situation is being watched closely in consultation with all stakeholders and an appropriate decision indicating the effective date of resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services shall be notified in due course,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in an order on Wednesday.

On November 26, the Centre had announced the resumption of scheduled international commercial flights from December 15.

International commercial flight operations were on freeze for more than 20 months and passenger flights were operating under a bubble arrangement — which involved two or more nations allowing flights into each other’s territories, subject to certain conditions.