<p>Ticket prices set by Air India for special international flights being operated under the Vande Bharat Mission are reasonable, said Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday.</p>.<p>"While rates being charged are not normal commercial rates, they are reasonable when compared to evacuation flights of other countries on the same sectors," Puri said on Twitter.</p>.<p>Under the Vande Bharat Mission, Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express started operating international flights from May 7 onwards to repatriate stranded Indians from abroad. Between May 7 and June 1, Air India group has operated a total 423 inbound international flights under the mission, bringing 58,867 Indians back.</p>.<p>"Some people" have raised concerns about the rates being charged by Air India for the special Vande Bharat flights, Puri noted.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-in-india-live-updates-today-lockdown-50-maharashtra-karnataka-tamil-nadu-mumbai-bangalore-delhi-bengaluru-kolkata-chennai-covid-19-news-world-narendra-modi-843634.html" target="_blank"><strong>Follow live updates on coronavirus here</strong></a></p>.<p>He also gave examples of fares charged by other countries to show that Air India's rates are reasonable.</p>.<p>"Economy fare paid by travellers for evacuation flights organised by the concerned (US) Embassy from India was Rs 3.00 lakhs for Houston. Indians pay ₹1.03 lakh on India-US sector (flights) under the Vande Bharat mission which is nearly one third," Puri mentioned.</p>.<p>Similarly, travellers paid ₹1.62 lakhs to Toronto and ₹1.84 lakhs to Vancouver for evacuation flights organised from India by the Canadian High Commission, the minister said.</p>.<p>"Our citizens pay ₹1.07 lakhs between India & Canada on Vande Bharat flights. The difference is stark," he added.</p>.<p>While scheduled domestic passenger flights resumed on May 25 after a gap of two months, scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India.</p>.<p>"Travellers to Tel Aviv paid ₹82,500 for their evacuation flights organised by the concerned (Israel) Embassy between Delhi & Tel Aviv while Indian citizens pay ₹51,938 to fly between the two destinations. Very clearly, rates being charged by Air India for Vande Bharat are reasonable," the minister said.</p>
<p>Ticket prices set by Air India for special international flights being operated under the Vande Bharat Mission are reasonable, said Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday.</p>.<p>"While rates being charged are not normal commercial rates, they are reasonable when compared to evacuation flights of other countries on the same sectors," Puri said on Twitter.</p>.<p>Under the Vande Bharat Mission, Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express started operating international flights from May 7 onwards to repatriate stranded Indians from abroad. Between May 7 and June 1, Air India group has operated a total 423 inbound international flights under the mission, bringing 58,867 Indians back.</p>.<p>"Some people" have raised concerns about the rates being charged by Air India for the special Vande Bharat flights, Puri noted.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-in-india-live-updates-today-lockdown-50-maharashtra-karnataka-tamil-nadu-mumbai-bangalore-delhi-bengaluru-kolkata-chennai-covid-19-news-world-narendra-modi-843634.html" target="_blank"><strong>Follow live updates on coronavirus here</strong></a></p>.<p>He also gave examples of fares charged by other countries to show that Air India's rates are reasonable.</p>.<p>"Economy fare paid by travellers for evacuation flights organised by the concerned (US) Embassy from India was Rs 3.00 lakhs for Houston. Indians pay ₹1.03 lakh on India-US sector (flights) under the Vande Bharat mission which is nearly one third," Puri mentioned.</p>.<p>Similarly, travellers paid ₹1.62 lakhs to Toronto and ₹1.84 lakhs to Vancouver for evacuation flights organised from India by the Canadian High Commission, the minister said.</p>.<p>"Our citizens pay ₹1.07 lakhs between India & Canada on Vande Bharat flights. The difference is stark," he added.</p>.<p>While scheduled domestic passenger flights resumed on May 25 after a gap of two months, scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in India.</p>.<p>"Travellers to Tel Aviv paid ₹82,500 for their evacuation flights organised by the concerned (Israel) Embassy between Delhi & Tel Aviv while Indian citizens pay ₹51,938 to fly between the two destinations. Very clearly, rates being charged by Air India for Vande Bharat are reasonable," the minister said.</p>