Once other nations across the world started to make travel bubbles, India started planning to do the same. According to sources, India is attempting to create these travel bubbles from the next month. These travel bubbles will allow Indian travelers to go abroad to specific destinations. It will also let foreign travelers enter India as well. In short, traveling to foreign nations from India would become a possibility within the next month under the “bilateral bubble arrangement.” Apart from creating travel bubbles with countries that allow access to its natives and vice versa, India will scale up the Vande Bharat Mission or VBM.
The government of the subcontinent expects the movement of domestic passengers to touch almost half of the pre-pandemic levels by the middle of July. After that, it will consider allowing international under the so-called “bilateral bubble arrangement” with other similar nations.
In the meantime, the government would extend the capping of domestic fares beyond August 24th depending on the circumstances. They introduced the fare range for three months when domestic flights started plying back on May 25th.
The aviation minister, H S Puri, said that more than 3 lakh passengers used to fly daily as domestic passengers just before the outbreak of the coronavirus. On May 25th, flight services restarted with only 30,000 passengers. Since then, the number of passengers increased to a maximum of 72,000 domestic passengers per day. This number will soon reach pre-corona levels of 1.5-1.6 lakh domestic travelers before mid-July. Once the air travel levels go higher, the ministry will consider resuming prescheduled international flights.
Air India will add more flights under the third and subsequent phases of the Vande Bharat Mission. It will also see private Indian airlines operating 750 flights to Gulf and Southeast Asia.
Air India’s chairman said that they will operate 650 flights under VBM-4 in July. Most people are looking for flights from India to the US, Europe, Canada, Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
The secretary of Aviation, P S Kharola said that everything depends on how the situation turns out. Based on what happens in the future, they may adjust the fare band beyond August 24th. Currently, it’s only for three months.
Puri mentioned that they’re still operating VGM flights to ensure people until it’s possible to follow normal schedule flights begin. As they ramp up operations further, the fares will decrease. Air India will tie up with other airline agencies to take Indians to various places in Europe, whether it’s the Caribbean or anywhere else, and then flying them to India from there. Air India will try to make such arrangements whenever needed.
Puri also mentioned a few things regarding the privatization of Air India. He said that he was never more hopeful or confident before, whether it’s about divestment or disinvestment. He mentioned that Air India’s true worth is now apparent to all. In recent times, it’s a first-class asset.
The rest of everything will appear before the nation to see. Everyone will then know whether the efforts of the aviation ministry will bear fruit or not.
