No International flights to/from India till June 30, 2020

In March 2020, it became obvious that international flights in India will not operate anytime soon. Since then, Air India has been operating repatriation flights and people have been literally paying crazy money all the tickets they can for their emergency to fly back home.

Now, a new order has been passed by the Government of India, as a part of their plan to open up the lockdown. The new order notifies that airlines operating commercial flights to/from India will not be able to perform any flights till June 30, 2020, 1830 GMT, which would translate to midnight India time.

a document with text on it I gather this would be targetted to clarify to the other airlines operating to India about the timing of how long they should not be planning operations to India. The really bad news is, the decision is postponed and June 30, 2020, is not a final timeline of opening up Commercial international aviation, and it could go on longer.

Bottomline

Unless one is stuck in India as a foreign citizen and can’t get out on a relief flight being operated at the moment, no one will be able to come in or go out of India through July 1, 2020.

What do you make of this International Flight India ban?


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About Ajay

Ajay Awtaney is the Founder and Editor of Live From A Lounge (LFAL), a pioneering digital platform renowned for publishing news and views about aviation, hotels, passenger experience, loyalty programs, travel trends and frequent travel tips for the Global Indian. He is considered the Indian authority on business travel, luxury travel, frequent flyer miles, loyalty credit cards and travel for Indians around the globe. Ajay is a frequent contributor and commentator on the media as well, including ET Now, BBC, CNBC TV18, NDTV, Conde Nast Traveller and many other outlets.

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Comments

  1. Because of an emergency I came to India on 20 th March and supposed to go back on 29th march with my younger daughter. My elder daughter is in Dubai with her father. I am stressed and fed up with this lockdown.Pls stop politics and allow us to go back. Try to understand a mother situation.

  2. My life saving medication is still in India I’ve been waiting since March 30
    I’ve been supplied my medication for the past 5 years through an Indian pharmacy
    When will the lockdown for International be lifted.

  3. There is no rescue flight from Melbourne to Delhi . Due to uncertainty of International flight we are bound to apply for Visitor Visa for longer period . For which we to get medically examined and date we have got in last week of July ,2020 . We are feeling tortured now .

  4. The decision made by Indian government to operate International flights after June 30th is very unfair to foreigners who are stuck in India.
    Lot of people have their families back home. They should at least consider opening international flights by 15th June as they are already operating domestic flights all over india. I don’t see a point there.

  5. I am sudhir soman me and my wife stranded I n Australia Sydney like me so many are there jobless student no money for extended visa in vande bharat abhiyaan there was not a single flight to mumbai or pune Embassy is not picking phone so please Arrange flight to mumbai or pune as early as possible

  6. Indian Government they should have to start international flights because so many people stuck up here.

  7. Sucking rule if the govt know how we are here they could arrange flights but cheak the status of india in covid 19 they are in out of control may be more than USA it can hit India no safe distance if we imagine it’s very danger situation in India its better to stay safe in abroad may be we can safe our life govt is playing on peoples life I don’t know when people can understand

  8. Extremely unfair decision. My fingers pain tweeting the anger of NRI and foreigner’s pain but Govt does not care about us. Please note evacuation flights operated by Air India are thrice the price of regular commercial ticket and not everyone is eligible for it. So we are held hostage in our own country thereby losing immigration status, jobs, finances and above all our families which are abroad.

  9. Hey Ajay, quick question – I’ve got a family member flying back from London to Mumbai soon. Does the 14 day quarantine at hotels still apply? I remember reading some news article about a home quarantine being recommended for those arriving on international flights and live locally?

  10. We were supposed to go back in april as well. We could hv gone back earlier had the lockdown been announced earlier. I m stuck here with my kids. Canada is allowing its citizens to come back but they keep postponing the ban.

  11. Indian government is making sure that there citizens get the recession burns deep inside there ass.

  12. What a inhuman act to keep on fooling stranded foreigners in india for so long like we are at our home. We are at somebody hse how long some one can allow us to stay with them. Why in charge person go to abroad and live some few days with someone and let them feel pain we are undergoing here in india .shame on them playing with tourist.abuse of power openly

  13. I am in Australia since February… I and my wife were to go back to India in mid April and have registered for Vande Bharat evacuation programmer of Air India…

    However there is total silence in the offices of Indian Embassy in Canberra and Melbourne too… No one responds there… You just get voice messages to shift to different numbers and finally get disconnected….
    We have to go to Mumbai / Pune from Melbourne and waiting for our turn…

    Poor state of affairs by GoI what else to say…

  14. Minister of Civil Aviation is arranging flights from Canada to fly certain class of people of his sect but not bothered about any other Indians. He also arranged flight to bring Indians of his sect from Phillippines. PM of India is a mute spectator for all this nonsense because he is the architect of this situation. PM is the one who is solely responsible for the plight of innocent migratory workers. I think PM likes to complete his remaining term (4 years) in lock down

  15. I really do not understand what is the mission in “Vande Bharat mission”. The cost on this flights are expensive and they have limited locations in US or other places. If they allowed limited number of flights to the country and have rules while entering and manage the whole situation in the country rather than managing the whole process, it would have worked for many people.

  16. True hoping for same to happen with International flights.
    Ita becoming tougher day by day.
    The government is not understanding our situation.
    Iam a stranded resident of UAE.
    It’s been almost 3 months I’m stuck.was suppose to travel back in April.
    Facing a hard time with husband who is alone in Abu Dhabi and creating nuisance in his and my life as well.
    Please help ppl like me get back please.My marriage is literally at risk.Im just having suicidal thoughts now☹Which I know isnt right but really fed up of what’s happening with me.Im sure many are in worse situations but mine is a mental torture and a pain suffering mentally.

  17. I am stuck in Mumbai since December I m here it’s ridiculous to stay at someone’s home, 70 years old my whole family is there,
    I like to go back
    I have filled so many farms
    Not getting any response , I know I already requested so many time
    Desperate to go back

  18. Staying in my sister place at San Francisco since Jan 2020. Have applied for extension of stay.

  19. I m in Los Angeles since February , it is Very embarrassing to stay at somebody’s house for so long. I had registered my name in Vande Bharat Mission in the first phase, uptill now my turn has not come. Nobody msg and nobody lifts the phone at Indian Embassy USA. Please arrange urgently I m desperate to go back India.

  20. What about the Vande Mataram mission glig flights ..I hope they would continue to bring stranded Indians grom abroad

  21. Just wanted to point out that they posted the same circular on May 17 as well, postponing all flights (including domestic flights) till May 31. Yet on May 20th, they announced resumption of domestic flights on May 25. Not saying that would happen this time as well with international flights, but that circular probably does not mean much.

    • True hoping for same to happen with International flights.
      Ita becoming tougher day by day.
      The government is not understanding our situation.
      Iam a stranded resident of UAE.
      It’s been almost 3 months I’m stuck.was suppose to travel back in April.
      Facing a hard time with husband who is alone in Abu Dhabi and creating nuisance in his and my life as well.
      Please help ppl like me get back please.My marriage is literally at risk.Im just having suicidal thoughts now☹Which I know isnt right but really fed up of what’s happening with me.Im sure many are in worse situations but mine is a mental torture and a pain suffering mentally.

  22. Ajay, can you please advise how to keep a track of evacuation flights from India other than that of Air India

  23. This is ridiculous. They will go on postponing for ever. We arrived in India on March 12th and were scheduled to return back on March 23rd. Because of lockdown without any advance notice, we got stuck in India. How long can we stay with our relatives. Moreover, there are so many important things, for which I have to personally, that I have to take care in Ohio. I tried to get on to one of the Bharat flights to go back to USA, but I was unable to get a reservation on any of these flights. At least if we are allowed to some how go to Qatar or Dubai, we can get on either Qatar Airways or Emirates Air which are already started operating flights to the U.S. I feel helpless, frustrated and caged. Jai Shri Rama !

    • We are in the same exact situation. Family, who is US resident/citizen are stuck in Kolkata since March 2020 and unable to take any flights out. Tried in Vande Bharat Mission flights, but unsuccessful since it’s on a “lottery” basis. I ask Gov. of India to look into this matter urgently and request them to restart the international commercial flights immediately.

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