Deal restores flights between India and Germany

India has struck a deal to restore flights with Germany, which had ended abruptly in late September amid a row over parity of services. Germany was one of several countries India negotiated a “travel bubble” agreement with in the summer to enable the restoration of limited services between the two countries as coronavirus-related travel restrictions began to be eased. But Lufthansa late last month was forced to cancel its flights to India until 20 October after the Indian government complained about travel restrictions which put Indian carriers ”at a significant disadvantage” resulting in inequitable distribution of traffic in favour of Lufthansa. It noted the German carrier was operating 20 frequencies a week between the countries compared to Air India’s three to four weekly services. Today in a social media posting, Indian aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri says flights between India and Germany will recommence under an air bubble agreement. He says under the arrangement Lufthansa will operate to Delhi four times a week and to both Mumbai and Bengaluru three times weekly. For its part Air India will serve Frankfurt five times a week from Delhi and twice-weekly from Bengaluru. Lufthansa had originally planned to restore flights to Chennai in October prior to the suspension of the air travel bubble arrangement.<br/>