Dec 3, 2020
Riyadh: An air bubble between India and Saudi Arabia is likely to be operational soon, with national carriers of both countries aiming to restore passenger services to pre-pandemic level. “India has submitted a draft Air Bubble Agreement to Saudi Arabia and awaiting a response from the Saudi side,” Dr. Ausaf Sayeed, Indian Ambassador to the Kingdom, said here Thursday.
Ambassador Sayeed said that “the Indian embassy in Riyadh is also trying to facilitate contacts between the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation and the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), the apex regulatory authority of the Kingdom responsible for the regulation of air transport services and the implementation of civil air regulations.” The move is to ensure early endorsement of the air bubble agreement by GACA and India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation, he added.
He pointed out that all aspects of the agreement to start flights are being discussed. “Even we had a meeting with GACA officials last Wednesday in this regard,” said the envoy. The Indian officials have intensified efforts for the resumption of flights amid calls by thousands of Indian workers, who have been stranded in India’s different parts. Many of them have been working in the Kingdom for several years, and they fail to return to the Kingdom to join their jobs.
An early agreement on the air bubble will ensure the return of the stranded workers, while people holding any valid visa will also travel to the Kingdom. The air bubble agreement will be a bilateral accord between the two countries in which airlines from both countries can operate international flights with a set of rules and restrictions. Saudi Arabia, until now, has been allowing and facilitating the departure of outbound passengers under the Vande Bharat Mission of the Indian government.
Referring to the successful operation of Vande Bharat Mission from Saudi destinations, Ambassador Sayeed said that “a total of 260,000 Indian nationals have been repatriated to India so far within the framework of the Mission.” “About half of them traveled back to India because of job losses amid Corona pandemic, while rest of them were on different kinds of visas including visit visa and business visa,” he explained.
“In fact, Indian workers in Saudi Arabia suffered the most during the pandemic because of the high air ticket prices and non-availability of flights,” said Syed Taqiuddin Ahmed, general manager of the Riyadh-based Safari Travel. “Moreover, we are happy to learn about the plans to lift a ban on commercial routes to India,” added Ahmed with optimism.
He pointed out that the Indian diaspora is the largest foreign community in the Kingdom. Before COVID 19 pandemic, a number of airlines used to operate cumulatively about 100 flights per week to Indian destinations from Saudi cities, said Ahmed, adding that this huge number of flights indicates the growing passenger loads on this sector.
Ahmed named Air India, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Emirates, Etihad, Sri Lankan Air, Gulf Air, Flynas and Air Arabia, which are the main carriers operating direct or indirect flights to Indian destinations. He, however, applauded the flight arrangements made under the Vande Bharat Mission, which helped in the repatriation of a large number of Indian workers. The Vande Bharat Mission, now the world’s largest repatriation mission, has been ongoing since early May and has grown dramatically since then.
Saudi Arabia had suspended all flights to and from India due to a spike in COVID cases in the country. The Indian government is ready to fly passengers to countries like the Kingdom whenever they remove restrictions on the entry of Indian nationals, the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry said on Tuesday. India has been operating international flights under Vande Bharat Mission since May 6 and now has air bubble arrangements with 22 countries.
–INDIA NEWS STREAM
