Five Indian airlines will carry 17,120 passengers a week from Dhaka and Chittagong to different Indian cities
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has proposed the operation of five airlines on 16 routes a week under the air travel bubble agreement between Bangladesh and India, primarily for emergency services during the global coronavirus pandemic.
These Indian airlines will be able to carry 17,120 passengers a week from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong to New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai, depending on passenger demand, according to the proposal.
Ticket prices, ground handling charges and other airport charges will not be included in the air travel bubble agreement.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said the flights would launch soon after the Indian proposal is verified.
The proposal said Air India will be able to carry 346 passengers per week on the Delhi-Dhaka-Delhi route and 346 passengers per week on the Kolkata-Dhaka-Kolkata route.
Go Air will be able to carry 1,302 passengers per week on the Delhi-Dhaka-Delhi route, as well as 1,302 passengers on the Kolkata-Dhaka-Kolkata route.
IndiGo will be able to carry 1,302 passengers per week on the Kolkata-Dhaka-Kolkata route, 1,302 passengers on the Delhi-Dhaka-Delhi route, and 558 passengers on the Chennai-Dhaka-Chennai route.
SpiceJet will be able to carry 546 passengers per week on the Kolkata-Chittagong-Kolkata route, 546 passengers on the Kolkata-Dhaka-Kolkata route, 558 passengers on the Delhi-Dhaka-Delhi route, 558 passengers per week on Mumbai-Dhaka-Mumbai route, and 556 passengers on Chennai-Dhaka-Chennai route.
Vistara Air will be able to carry 2,632 passengers per week on the Delhi-Dhaka-Delhi route, 2,632 passengers on the Kolkata-Dhaka-Kolkata route, 1,316 passengers on the Mumbai-Dhaka-Mumbai route, and 1,316 passengers on the Chennai-Dhaka-Chennai route.
On September 10, CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman sent a proposal to the director general of Civil Aviation of India. In the proposal, he noted that the Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh and India is still alarming and various preventive measures were needed in both countries.
CAAB proposed also said Biman Bangladesh Airlines wished to operate on the Dhaka-Delhi-Dhaka and Dhaka-Kolkata-Dhaka routes, US Bangla Airlines on the Dhaka-Kolkata-Dhaka and Dhaka-Chennai-Dhaka routes, and NovoAir on the Dhaka-Kolkata-Kolkata route.
Air travel bubbles are temporary arrangements between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services while regular international flights are suspended – in this case, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
India currently has air transport bubbles with Germany, France, and the Maldives.
