COVID-19: India Extends Ban On International Flights Till 31 August

India on Friday (30 July) extended the ban on international flights till 31 August.

The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) extended the ban on international flights which was to end on July 31 as per an earlier announcement.

The restriction doesn't apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA, the civil aviation regulator said in a circular.

However, "international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on a case to case basis," said the DGCA circular.

The circular comes amid looming threat of the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic in India.

The scheduled international flight operations to and from India, except cargo/repatriation/relief services, have been under suspension since March 2020.

While domestic flights resumed in May 2020, international travel remained suspended as COVID-19 cases remained at high levels.

Earlier on 30 June, the DGCA had extended the ban on international flights till 31 July.