COVID-19: Oman 16th country to have air bubble arrangements with India

New Delhi: India has established a separate bilateral air bubble arrangement with Oman for the operation of special international passenger flights between the two countries, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.

Till Wednesday, India had formed such arrangements with 15 countries – Afghanistan, Bahrain, Canada, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, the Maldives, Nigeria, Qatar, the UAE, Kenya, Bhutan, the UK and the USA.

Under an air bubble pact between two countries, special international passenger flights can be operated by their airlines into each other’s territories under restrictive conditions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Happy to announce that bilateral air bubble arrangement is now in place for flights between India & Oman, taking the number of such arrangements to 16,” Puri said on Twitter.

“Carriers of India & Oman will operate between the two countries,” he added.

Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

However, special international passenger flights have been operating in India under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble arrangements formed between India and other countries since July.