GIVING AIR TRAVELLERS A BETTER EXPERIENCE

GIVING AIR TRAVELLERS A BETTER EXPERIENCE

27.08.2020

Flying Vande or within air bubble? No need to register

New Delhi: Travellers planning to fly out of India on Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) flights or to air-bubble countries need no longer register with the civil aviation ministry before booking their tickets directly with airlines of their choice. The announcement comes within a week of the Union home ministry doing away with the registration protocol for travel to India from air-bubble countries.

India has so far created air bubbles with the US, UK, France, Germany, UAE, Qatar and Maldives. The government, seeking to expand its travel orbit as the world gradually reopens, is in talks with Australia, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Nigeria, Bahrain, Israel, Kenya, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bhutan.

The idea of air bubbles is to ensure continuity of travel between India and these countries by eligible categories of people till normal flight operations resume.

For outbound flights, MHA guidelines say: “Before tickets of such persons are confirmed, the airline will ensure the destination country allows entry of such persons with valid visa. The conditions, if any, imposed by the destination country, will have to be fulfilled by the person intending to travel.” TNN

Rules framed on where & how to allow inflight Wi-Fi

New Delhi: India’s aviation regulator has framed draft rules for allowing inflight internet connectivity in the country’s skies. Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) draft rules say “internet service through Wi-Fi on-board aircraft shall be available at minimum height of 3,000 metres or 10,000 ft above departure/arrival airfield elevation.”

Portable electronic devices (PEDs) being used by passengers for surfing the Net must be “used only in flight/ airplane mode” and the “pilot in command may, for any reason and during any phase of flight, require deactivation and stowage of PEDs”, say the draft rules issued by DGCA chief Arun Kumar. Based on public comments received on the draft, the final set of rules could be issued by later this year.

India had in December 2018 allowed inflight connectivity on flights to, from, within India as well as those overflying the country. Since then at least two Indian firms entered this space to become inflight and maritime connectivity (IFMC) service providers. Airlines will be required to “ensure the inflight and maritime connectivity (IFMC) service provider is approved by department of telecommunication, India, for provision of these services during the flight”, the draft rules say. TNN

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