India Declares ‘Air Bubble’ Flights to US, France: Who Can Travel?

Jul 18,2020

India Declares ‘Air Bubble’ Flights to US, France: Who Can Travel?

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday, 16 July, said that India has signed bilateral air bubble agreements with France and the US that will allow airlines from these countries to operate international flights. These flights will resume service to and from India starting Friday.

So, what exactly are bilateral air bubbles? Why has India considered it at a time when cases are spiking? Here’s all you need to know.

A travel bubble or a bilateral air bubble is a travel corridor between two countries that wish to reopen their borders and re-establish connections with each other. This is an exclusive partnership considered between countries that have either largely eliminated the virus, or trust the testing numbers.