Govt Allows Airlines To Operate Domestic Flights With 60 Percent Capacity

In a bid to eases the travel restrictions, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Govt of India on Wednesday allowed Indian airlines to increase the number of domestic flights to 60 percent of their pre-COVID capacity, according to an official order.

On 26th June, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) had allowed the Indian airlines to operate with a maximum of 45 percent of their pre-COVID domestic flights.

The Govt had allowed airlines to operate domestic passenger flights from May 25, after a gap of two months because of the coronavirus-triggered lockdown in the country.

Initially, all the airlines were only allowed to operate with not more than 33 percent of their pre-COVID domestic flights.

Changing its previous order of June 26 where it had put the 45 percent limit on the number of domestic flights, the ministry issued an order on Wednesday stating that, “45 percent capacity could also be read as 60 percent capacity.”

The average occupancy rate in domestic flights since their resumption in India on May 25 has been around 50-60 percent only.

Scheduled international passenger flights still remain suspended in the country since March 23 because of the pandemic.

However, special international flights are operating under Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air transport bubble agreements signed with various countries since July.

Also, to repatriate Indians stranded abroad the Ministry of External Affairs has started Phase 6 of the Vande Bharat Mission from September 1.

(With Inputs From PTI)

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