In a possible indication that the regular overseas commercial passenger flight operations to India are unlikely to be ‘fully normal’ in the near future, Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Thursday that though the country was getting back to normal, the resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic in other parts of the world, including Europe, can’t be ignored. Speaking at an event organised by the industry body CII, Scindia also said that the government was ‘evaluating the process’ to normalise international flight operations.
“Let me commit to you that we are evaluating that process. However, keep in mind what’s happening in the world, including in Russia, parts of Europe, they are going through a fourth wave that too despite the vaccines,” the civil aviation minister said, according to news agency PTI. He further urged people not to ‘erase our short-term memories so soon,’ in what was a possible reference to the devastating second wave of the viral illness, which was at its peak across the country during April and May.
