Aviation Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri in a recent interview given to CNN-News18 has confirmed domestic flight service will only start when both arrival and departure cities are in Green Zone.
Puri also said that resuming flight service will be a challenging task as the zones keep on changing based on coronavirus cases.
The civil aviation ministry is already in discussion with airlines to start scheduled commercial flight services to post lockdown on May 17.
Puri said that whenever the flight services will resume, they will resume in a phased manner with domestic airlines operating in the initial phase, followed by international flights.
Ministry of Civil Aviation earlier announced 64 evacuation flights, all by Air India to bring back stranded Indians. The biggest rescue operation of its times, over 1.9 Lakh citizens are expected to return back to India.
The government is additionally discussing social distancing norms within the flight. Airlines have suggested that vacating one seat to keep up social distance inside the flight will increase the price burden on passengers.
Airlines and Ministry are working out to operate without compromising on health and security and the ministry has asked airlines to work out other measures in order that passengers won’t be paying this additional burden.
No final decision has been reached to this point and the consent of PM Modi will be taken once the final plan is prepared.
(With Inputs from News18 & PTI)
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