US-Bangla to resume flights on Dhaka-Chennai-Dhaka route Sept 5

US-Bangla Airlines will resume flights on the Dhaka-Chennai route from September 5 under Air Bubble Agreement between Bangladesh and India.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national flag carrier, is yet to announce when it will start flights on Dhaka-Kolkata and Dhaka-Delhi routes.

Novoair, a private operator, said they will not operate flights to India under the Air Bubble Agreement.

Air Bubble arrangements are temporary arrangements between two countries aimed at restarting commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. They are reciprocal in nature, meaning airlines from both countries enjoy similar benefits.

US-Bangla Airlines today in a press release said that as per Indian Civil Aviation guidelines, passengers must have a negative report of the Covid-19 RT-PCR test within 72 hours of traveling and the travelers will have to carry out molecular tests at their own expense after landing at the Chennai airport.

Passengers holding tourist visas, however, will currently not be allowed to visit India, the airlines said.

Flights of US-Bangla Airlines will leave Dhaka for Chennai every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:30 am and is scheduled to land at Chennai Airport at 12:40 pm (local time).

On the same day, the flight of US-Bangla Airlines will leave Chennai for Dhaka at 1:30pm and is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 4:30pm.

Asked Tahera Khondoker, deputy general manager, Biman, told The Daily Star that the national airliner is all prepared to resume flights with Kolkata and Delhi.

"But the date and time schedule of the flight is yet to finalise," she added.

Managing Director, Novoair, recently, told The Daily Star that they will not operate flight in India under the Air Bubble Agreement.