December 11: Nepal and India have agreed to resume regular flights after nine months. Nepal has agreed to the air transport bubble scheme proposed by India to resume the flight service.

Regular flights between Nepal and India were disrupted since March 24 after the government imposed lockdown to control the spread of coronavirus. Last month, India had proposed the air transport bubble scheme for taking back the citizens of different countries from Nepal. However, the government had not agreed to the proposal.

After the government imposed lockdown, it also banned international flights for five months. Regular international flights to and from Nepal resumed on September 1 but the flight to India remained suspended due to high rate of  infection in the neighbouring country.

Under the air bubble scheme, both countries will be allowed to operate flights between New Delhi and Kathmandu with only one airline company. Nepal has selected the state-owned Nepal Airlines Corporation to conduct flight one flight per day between Kathmandu and New Delhi while Indian Airlines will be operating flights on behalf of India, informed the Civil Aviation  Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

Spokesperson of CAAN Raj Kumar Chhetri informed that regular flights between the two countries will resume within two to three days.

“Flights between Nepal and India will resume soon under the air transport bubble scheme. Under this scheme, only diplomats and the citizens of the two countries will be able to travel between the two countries,” said Chhetri.

Chhetri clarified that citizens from third countries will not be allowed to travel under this scheme. The concept of air bubble is a scheme proposed by India to airlift stranded citizens from across the world during coronavirus pandemic.

The travellers need to fill up the form online to travel under this scheme. They also need to present PCT test taken not more than 72 hours before the flight.