Domestic Airlines to resume operation from May 25th
Domestic airline operations will resume from airports across all major cities in the country from 25th May, even though the existing lockdown to contain COVID-19 remains in place till 31st May.
In an order released by Ministry of Civil Aviation on May 21st, it has been said that the Government has decided for recommencement of domestic air travel of passengers with effect from 25th May 2020.
In order to ensure safety of the passenger during prevailing circumstances due to COVID-I9 pandemic, precautionary measures need to be taken by various stakeholders. Accordingly, General Instructions: Guidelines to be followed by passengers; and Specific Operating Guidelines for major stakeholders (Airlines, Airport Operators, Gmund Handling Agencies, etc.) are annexed for compliance of all concerned.
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had earlier on Wednesday (May 20) tweeted that flight operation will resume in a calibrated manner from May 25th. All airports and airlines have been informed to be ready to recommence operations, the minister said on twitter adding that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for passenger movement are being separately issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
India suspended all flights since 25th March when the government first imposed a nationwide lockdown to contain COVID-19 pandemic. The lockdown has since been extended thrice, every fortnight, from the initial announcement date. The latest and fourth phase will run till 31st May.
Recently, Indian carriers have reopened bookings for passenger flights from June 1st even before the government announced its plans to resume flight services from 25th May. Tickets between trunk routes like New Delhi-Mumbai, Kolkata-Mumbai, New Delhi-Bangalore are put up for sale on airlines’ websites and online travel websites.
However, airlines and online travel agents were yet to put up flight tickets on sale for travel between 25th to 31st May on their respective platforms on Wednesday (May 20) evening.
On May 20th, the Union Home Ministry in an order also amended the lockdown guidelines, which had earlier prevented air travel. The ministry has now deleted domestic air travel of passengers from the list of prohibited activities.
