Hong Kong not allowing flights from India, air bubble discussions on with Kuwait: Aviation ministry
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said national carrier Air India has applied for permission with the Hong Kong authorities to operate flights.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Wednesday that Hong Kong continues to prohibit flights from India, as the coronavirus pandemic spreads around the world. It said national carrier Air India has applied for permission with the Hong Kong authorities to operate flights.
“Civil aviation access is a matter of reciprocal bilateral arrangements,” the ministry tweeted. “As far as flights to and from Hong Kong are concerned, the problem is that HK [Hong Kong] is not allowing flights from certain places of origin including India. Air India has applied for permission with the authorities.”
The ministry also said India is discussing a bilateral air bubble with Kuwait. New delhi already has bilateral agreements with countries like the United Arab Emirates, United States, Germany and France to operate flights.
“Significant progress made on aviation access between India and Kuwait,” the ministry tweeted. “Secretary Ministry of Civil Aviation and President of Directorate General of Civil Aviation-Kuwait had useful and productive discussions on several issues related with bilateral access between our two countries which will be resolved soon.”
India banned all international flights on March 23, two days before imposing a complete lockdown in the country. The lockdown began to be lifted on May 1, and from May 6, Air India charter flights were allowed to fly abroad to bring stranded Indians back under the “Vande Bharat Mission”. A limited number of domestic flights were restarted on May 25.
