Muscat: Low cost airlines of India are gearing up to start Oman operations after the Government of India decided to resume scheduled commercial international passenger services to and from India from March 27, 2022.
Airlines welcome Govt decision
Speaking to Times of Oman, Venkat Perumal, sales manager for Go First, said: “We are extremely delighted to receive the government order on resumption of scheduled international operations from India. We at Go First are planning to restart our existing scheduled operations to Mumbai and Kannur based on the government’s recommendations and regulatory approvals…shortly, we will upload our schedules with competitive fares to support our travelling public.”
Bipin Balakrishnan, manager for Spice Jet’s Oman operations, said: “We welcome the decision of the Indian government to allow international flights to operate again. It has been a long time coming, and arrives just in time for the summer schedule, when many people plan their holidays.
“It is also around the time of Ramadan, but given the reopening activities happening around the world, and the inability of people to travel for so long because of the pandemic and associated restrictions, people are eager to travel once again,” he added.
“Over the next couple of days, we will have our flight resumption plan in place. We have less than three weeks until the 27th, so it is time to start planning our operations once again.
“The last couple of years have been quite hard for everyone in the aviation sector, so I hope things now improve. We have had many loyal customers asking us during this time span as to when we will be resuming operations, and we are happy to now be able to give them a definite answer.”
Another low-cost manager with operations in Oman and India added: “I think we are already looking forward to a post-pandemic world and the announcement of the Indian government is one we welcome. Many countries have scrapped their PCR test regulations and this will be a great incentive for families to start travelling again…it was previously quite costly for them to do so. The removal of PCR test requirements is the biggest incentive for passengers to book flights again.
“The decision to resume international operations has also come at the right time: Ramadan and the school summer holidays are round the corner and that is when people plan to fly,” he said.
‘Aviation sector to reach new heights’
Talking to Twitter, Civil Aviation Minister of India, Jyotiraditya M Scindia said with this step, the aviation sector would reach new heights. “After deliberations with stakeholders and keeping in view the decline in the COVID-19 caseload, we have decided to resume international travel from March 27 onwards. Air Bubble arrangements will also stand revoked thereafter. With this step, I am confident the sector will reach new heights!”
The Indian ministry further said that the suspension of scheduled commercial international passenger services to and from India, thus, stands extended till 2359 hrs IST on March 26, 2022, and air bubble arrangements shall accordingly be extended to this date only.
To prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had suspended operations of scheduled international commercial passenger services to and from India with effect from March 23, 2020.
Currently, in terms of DGCA’s circular February 28, 2022, suspension of scheduled international commercial passenger services to/ from India has been extended until further orders.
The ministry added that overseas operations shall be subject to strict adherence to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare guidelines for international travel dated February 10, 2022, and will be amended from time to time.
