Shipping & Logistics
Why KQ, India air bubble agreement may soon burst
Wednesday April 28 2021
Summary
- Kenya and India in September 2020 held negotiations on flights in either country once the moratorium on international flights was lifted and agreed on this air bubble arrangement.
- Now, with the cases of Covid-19 seemingly overwhelming India at the moment, the agreement is likely to come to an end as Kenya is mullingĀ putting in place stricter travel curbs to India.
When a ban on international flights was lifted in August last year, Kenya Airways resumed operations to India under a special arrangement, normally referred to as āair bubbleā in aviation parlance.
Before the coronavirus hit, KQ, as the airline is known by its international code, would carry an unlimited number of passengers to India. However, with the resumption of the cross-border flights last year and countries being cautious over new strains of Covid-19, India limited the number of passengers to only 400 a week.
Kenya and India in September 2020 held negotiations on flights in either country once the moratorium on international flights was lifted and agreed on this air bubble arrangement.
In addition to the agreement, KQ said airlines must follow the health protocols set by the two governments. These include preflight approvals for passengers before departure and Covid-19 test certificates and contacts.
āKQ operates three flights a week under this arrangement,ā said the airline.
Now, with the cases of Covid-19 seemingly overwhelming India at the moment, the agreement is likely to come to an end as Kenya is mullingĀ putting in place stricter travel curbs to India.
As of Tuesday, India had 17,313,163 confirmed cases, the highest in the world and 195,123 deaths, bringing the healthcare system to its knees. On Sunday, the country recorded…