Govt removes curbs on number of flights between India and Ukraine

Amid tense situation in Ukraine, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has removed the curbs on the number of flights that can be operated between India and the Eastern European nation under the bilateral air bubble arrangement to facilitate travel of Indians from that country.

Besides, the cap on the number of seats that can be offered on flights has been removed and Indian carriers have also been asked by the ministry to look at the possibility of operating flights to Ukraine due to the increase in demand, a senior official at the ministry said on Thursday.

Sources at various Indian airlines said they are watching the situation and have not decided on whether to operate flights to Ukraine or not.

Earlier in the day, a senior official at Go First said the airline will evaluate the option of operating chartered passenger flights to Ukraine if there is a proposal from the government.

In the wake of rising tensions between Ukraine and Russia, India has advised its citizens to temporarily leave Ukraine.

The ministry has removed the restrictions on the number of flights and seats between India and Ukraine under the air bubble arrangement. Any number of flights including chartered flights can be operated between the two countries, the ministry official said.

Earlier, among others, there was a restriction that only around 450 passengers could be flown in daily from Ukraine under the air bubble arrangement. Those have been removed, the official added.

The official also said the ministry is coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) regarding the flight services.

Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said that he will look into the the issue of facilitating safe return of Indian students from Ukraine.

His assurance came in response to a tweet by Congress' Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh Vivek Tankha.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Thursday said that Indian carriers are being encouraged to operate charter flights between India and Ukraine and that there are flights through other routes such as Almaty, Sharjah, Istanbul and Dubai.

Under an air bubble arrangement between two countries, international passenger flights can be operated by their respective carriers into each other's territories subject to certain conditions.

Currently, India has air bubble arrangements with 35 countries.

The scheduled international commercial passenger flights to and from India remain suspended since March 23, 2020.