Air India closes down 5 stations in Europe

Air India has closed down five of its stations in Europe in view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, namely Vienna, Milan, Madrid, Copenhagen and Stockholm.

“In view of #COVID19, Air India (AI) has decided to close down its stations in Vienna, Milan, Madrid, Copenhagen, & Stockholm. AI would immediately initiate action for closure in consultation with local lawyers & advise the timelines by which the stations will be closed,” read a tweet from news agency ANI.

According to reports, Air India is likely to cease all future flights to these countries as it was not financially viable for the airline to operate on these routes. 

The decision comes amid the Union Government’s plans to expand its air bubbles with more countries to increase international flights. So far, India has created air bubbles with the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, the UAE and Kuwait.

The aviation sector is one of the hardest hit due to the pandemic. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), global passenger traffic will not return to pre-COVID levels until 2024.