The US Department of Transportation on Monday announced that it has barred Air India from operating chartered flights between India and the United States from July 22 without its prior approval. The strong decision from the US came in an apparent retaliation for the Indian government not allowing American carriers to operate between the two countries.
In an apparent move to simmer down the tension, Aviation Ministry on Tuesday announced that India is considering establishing "individual bilateral bubbles" with the US, the UK, Germany and France allowing airlines of each country in the pact to operate international passenger flights.
This essentially means that a Green Corridor will be setup between these countries allowing passengers from both sides to travel at respective locations. The Aviation Ministry said, "As we contemplate further opening up in response to demands, we are looking at the prospect of establishing individual bilateral bubbles, India-US, India-France, India-Germany, India-UK.
A green corridor, or Travel bubble is a bilateral agreement between two countries to expedite the travel process of travellers of both the countries amidst the travel restrictions due to COVID-19. Such corridors are being created where both countries have successfully curbed the growth of the virus. However India and US is planning to open the corridor before the cases become zero.
While the scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 25 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Air India started international chartered flights under Vande Bharat Mission from May 6 to help people stranded abroad return home amid the pandemic.
It has been operating chartered flights on Indo-US routes since May 18 where tickets on both the legs are sold.
This repatriation drive, however, does not allow international air carriers to fly to India and take passengers back, allegedly irking the US DOT.
"We are taking this action because the Government of India (GoI) has impaired the operating rights of US carriers and has engaged in discriminatory and restrictive practices with respect to US carrier services to and from India," said the DOT order.
"On May 26, 2020, Delta Air Lines, Inc. ("Delta"), via letter, requested permission from the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to perform repatriation charter services similar to those provided by Air India. To date, Delta has not received approval to perform the requested repatriation charters," the DOT said.
The US Department of Transport said it appears that Air India may be using its passenger repatriation charters as a way of circumventing the Government of India-imposed prohibition of all scheduled international services.
MoCA, on the other hand, said: "We have received requests from authorities in several countries including the US, France, Germany among others requesting that their air carriers be allowed to participate in the transportation of passengers along the line being conducted by Air India under Vande Bharat Mission. These requests are being examined."
This situation, in which Indian airlines are permitted to perform services pursuant to their rights under the "US India Air Transport Agreement" while US carriers are not, creates a competitive disadvantage for US carriers vis-a-vis Indian carriers, said DOT.
While Air India is permitted by the Indian government to sell tickets directly to individual passengers or through other distribution systems, the US-based carriers are not allowed to do so even if they are permitted to operate a chartered flight connecting India, the DOT mentioned in its order date June 22.
With Inputs from PTI
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