India and Thailand are all set get flights under air bubble arrangement

[webfact]

Credit: iStock

 

Starting March 1, Thai Airways will operate flights to and from five Indian cities under the air bubble arrangement. On the other hand, India may reopen regular scheduled flights from March 15, 2022

 

TIMES OF INDIA

Thai Airways has announced that flights will soon resume between the two countries under the air bubble arrangement. The national carrier of Thailand has shared this news with stakeholders in India, saying that Bangkok will not have flights to Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, starting March 1.

The flights are however subject to approval from the Indian government. A statement by the airline said, “We are pleased to advise that with effective March 1, 2022, Thai Airways flights will commence between India and Thailand under Air Travel Bubble. The schedule of flights and fares is updated in all the GDS.”

Air Bubbles have been the way countries are allowing travellers to move from one destination to another, as regular scheduled flights stand suspended.

 

Full story: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/travel/travel-news/india-and-thailand-are-all-set-get-flights-under-air-bubble-arrangement/as89818849.cms

 

-- © Copyright THE TIMES OF INDIA 2022-02-26

 

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[Will B Good]

If all travel restrictions are being removed, covid now being endemic not a pandemic, why the need for travel bubbles?

[RandiRona]

From the quoted article

"On the other hand, India is looking to restart regular scheduled flights from next month after two years. The tentative date as of now is March 15, 2022"

 

so this arrangement is only for 15 days as from 15th March, India is opening up to all normal scheduled flight.

They achieved nothing.

Edited February 26, 2022 by RandiRona

[Jerno]

Here come the big spenders. Saving the Thai tourist industry. 

[Thailand]

"---saying that Bangkok will not have flights to Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Mumbai, starting March 1." ????

 

Do they know something?

[John Drake]

Questions. 1) Does the "travel bubble" mean Indian visitors will be exempt from Covid testing? 2) Will they be required to stay in semi-quarantine until receiving test results? 3) Will they be put into quarantine upon testing positive? Will they be required to buy the $20,000 insurance? Or does a "bubble" mean they get in without restrictions?

[malibukid]

anything but Thai Airways.

[Raphael54]

What is the meaning of this "Air Bubble"?  
No need for Thai Pass?
No need for Test-and-Go?
Or perhaps just another publicity stunt by the governments of Thailand and India?

[aussiexpat]

30 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Questions. 1) Does the "travel bubble" mean Indian visitors will be exempt from Covid testing? 2) Will they be required to stay in semi-quarantine until receiving test results? 3) Will they be put into quarantine upon testing positive? Will they be required to buy the $20,000 insurance? Or does a "bubble" mean they get in without restrictions?

From the article:
"Passengers planning to travel to Thailand should however keep in mind that they must meet all travel requirements, and also could be facing health control measures" 

 

So Air bubble means nothing to passengers, it just allows the planes to fly there while scheduled flights are suspended

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by aussiexpat

[Meat Pie 47]

19 minutes ago, malibukid said:

anything but Thai Airways.

What is wrong with Thai Airways ? I used it all the time never had any problems at all and it was the only airline which flew direct from where I live to BKK if you live in the US or Europe you have a choice but I do not.

[John Drake]

8 minutes ago, aussiexpat said:

From the article:
"Passengers planning to travel to Thailand should however keep in mind that they must meet all travel requirements, and also could be facing health control measures" 

 

So Air bubble means nothing to passengers, it just allows the planes to fly there while scheduled flights are suspended

 

Thanks for pointing that out. I did read it but "meet all travel requirements" sounds vague to the point of meaning different requirements for those in the bubble than those outside of it.  Also note the use of the word "could" in "facing health control measures," which, again, is vague and subject to interpretation.  

[RichardColeman]

After vetoing action against Russia, India should be banned from world travel until this Ukraine nonsense is all over , along with China

[captpkapoor]

2 hours ago, Jerno said:

Here come the big spenders. Saving the Thai tourist industry. 

Yes definitely spending a hell of a lot more than the white guys in singlets and shorts and flio flops running around on scooters that we see everywhere 

[aussiexpat]

Basically Airlines have 2 ways to fly between countries (1) approved scheduled flights or (2) charter flights. As all scheduled flights are suspended this "Air Bubble" just seems to be a formal way to have planes flying without the excess paperwork required when flying charter flights.

 

They could have just said regular flights resuming between Thailand and India as this 'Air Bubble' process is invisible to passengers. All Thai Pass requirements still apply

Edited February 26, 2022 by aussiexpat

[captpkapoor]

10 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

After vetoing action against Russia, India should be banned from world travel until this Ukraine nonsense is all over , along with China

Ukraine has consistently voted against India at the UN, supported actions against India. Whether Russia is right or wrong in this case (their invasion is an invasion, when the US does it it's a liberation, 55555), is a moot point. 

[captpkapoor]

22 minutes ago, Meat Pie 47 said:

What is wrong with Thai Airways ? I used it all the time never had any problems at all and it was the only airline which flew direct from where I live to BKK if you live in the US or Europe you have a choice but I do not.

Unfortunately their standards have dipped horribly over the years. 

[John Drake]

21 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

After vetoing action against Russia, India should be banned from world travel until this Ukraine nonsense is all over , along with China

The Indian government currently is consulting with Russia for a work around SWIFT if there are SWIFT sanctions. They want to keep money funneling through to Moscow.  It is surprising that so many people have been lulled into thinking that India was a possible alliance partner. Sure, they want help against China. But their primary and main backer has always been the Soviet Union/Russia. The price for that showed up a couple of years ago when a Pakistani F16 shot down two Indian Migs.

[Adumbration]

Minor error in article title.  It should read:

 

HOT air bubble....

[Caldera]

Ridiculous, could they make an easy thing (resuming flights) even more complicated?

[ChC1]

5 hours ago, John Drake said:

The Indian government currently is consulting with Russia for a work around SWIFT if there are SWIFT sanctions. They want to keep money funneling through to Moscow.  It is surprising that so many people have been lulled into thinking that India was a possible alliance partner. Sure, they want help against China. But their primary and main backer has always been the Soviet Union/Russia. The price for that showed up a couple of years ago when a Pakistani F16 shot down two Indian Migs.

That is correct. India is one of the biggest customer for Russian produced arms and weaponries. So now we have China is buddy of Pakistan, Russia is buddy of India, India is the enemy of Pakistan, China is sleeping with Russia. India is fighting China and Pakistan for boarder disputes on and off. Thailand is flirting with all of them. What else can go wrong? Let us just hope and pray nothing does go wrong. And let us also hope the day that Thailand has to pick a side would never come.

[CartagenaWarlock]

9 hours ago, Raphael54 said:

What is the meaning of this "Air Bubble"?  

I think there is no commercial flights between India and Thailand. India does not allow commercial flights right now unless a travel bubble is established. Requirements for entry into Thailand and immigration requirements remain unchanged. India has been running this type of travel bubbles with Europe and USA for a long time. Here is a list of all travel bubbles India currently has. 

https://www.civilaviation.gov.in/en/about-air-transport-bubbles
 

[RandiRona]

10 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

After vetoing action against Russia, India should be banned from world travel until this Ukraine nonsense is all over , along with China

India doesn't have veto power , only 5 countries does and India abstained from voting, not vote against it. 

Ban India/China from travelling? Hahaha... Do you have any idea about contribution of India and China in World's economy? Everything consumed in West in created from factories in China and just look who is running Google/Microsoft/Twitter and you would know their worth.

[RandiRona]

10 hours ago, John Drake said:

The Indian government currently is consulting with Russia for a work around SWIFT if there are SWIFT sanctions. They want to keep money funneling through to Moscow.  It is surprising that so many people have been lulled into thinking that India was a possible alliance partner. Sure, they want help against China. But their primary and main backer has always been the Soviet Union/Russia. The price for that showed up a couple of years ago when a Pakistani F16 shot down two Indian Migs.

India is a nuclear state and biggest largest army after China. They fought a war with China and had a recent conflict with China on Himalayan borders where they stood their ground. Who you think would be ally of west if it comes to arms confrontation with China? US and West with their woke and pronoun culture has produced a generation who would be willing to do a candle March or a campaign on twitter or a go fund me. you really think West is capable of confronting China?? Taiwan is next and we shall know soon.

[RandiRona]

13 hours ago, Jerno said:

Here come the big spenders. Saving the Thai tourist industry. 

Well...according to statistics they are

https://m.thaiwebsites.com/tourists-nationalities-Thailand.asp

 

About 1.9 million Indian tourists came to Thailand in 2019, a 25% increase from the the previous year, Taweesilp said, citing figures from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. They each spent seven days and B44,700 in Thailand on average.

 

Now why dont you do some reading before bad mouthing certain nationalities. 

[it is what it is]

11 hours ago, aussiexpat said:

Basically Airlines have 2 ways to fly between countries (1) approved scheduled flights or (2) charter flights. As all scheduled flights are suspended this "Air Bubble" just seems to be a formal way to have planes flying without the excess paperwork required when flying charter flights.

 

They could have just said regular flights resuming between Thailand and India as this 'Air Bubble' process is invisible to passengers. All Thai Pass requirements still apply

 

yea, but that's a cr*p soundbite for the domestic audience

[aussiexpat]

2 hours ago, it is what it is said:

 

yea, but that's a cr*p soundbite for the domestic audience

True, but is international flight law....totally misleading news article as a passenger never needed to hear about so  called Air Bubbles that airlines negotiate

[RichardColeman]

17 hours ago, captpkapoor said:

Unfortunately their standards have dipped horribly over the years. 

Thai Airways now do no free drinks on the UK Bkk flight other than with meals (which considering there was only 21 passengers on my plane seemed stingy) and all the movies were like 2-3 years old plus. The plane seat coverings I had were like something out of some 70's air disaster movie. If there are other direct flights in the future , then TA can go swivel with their new 'quality' standards.

 

That said, the staff were great. Felt sad for them really.

[Danderman123]

The rumor is that flights to India are suspended.

[CartagenaWarlock]

On 2/26/2022 at 12:30 PM, RandiRona said:

Google/Microsoft/Twitter and you would know their worth.

Forbes predict by 2030, 50% CEOs of American companies will be first generation Indian Americans.