India’s ban on scheduled international commercial passenger flights has been extended to November 30, according to the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Last month, the DGCA extended the prohibition until October 31. The DGCA will not limit international all-cargo operations or flights specially permitted by the DGCA, as it did in the prior directive.

India, on the other hand, reopened its doors to tourists early this month. Since October 15, India has begun issuing new tourist visas to foreigners. Beginning November 15, the Union home ministry authorised foreign tourists to enter the country on flights other than chartered aircraft, as announced earlier in October. The decision was made, according to the MHA, to help the economy recover by boosting the declining tourism sector. The tourist and aviation industries were among the hardest hit by the Covid-19 outbreak.

In August, certain airports started to see an increase in passenger traffic. Even though growth was seen in the domestic passenger market. In August, passenger traffic at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport increased fourfold, indicating that Indians were travelling more. However, according to a forecast by credit ratings firm ICRA, the Indian aviation sector could potentially lose $26,000 crore in FY22. According to the research, the industry will require additional funding of Rs 45,000-47,000 crore from FY2022 to FY2024.

Domestic flights were allowed to fly at full capacity last week by the civil aviation ministry to aid the aviation sector. “However, the airlines/airport operators must ensure that the criteria for preventing the spread of COVID are carefully followed and that COVID appropriate behaviour is strongly enforced,” the ministry stated.

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