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Flight restrictions to be lifted when Covid-19 is controlled: Government
Several airlines, Indigo and Vistara, stopped advance bookings after the order. The government has extended the nationwide lockdown imposed on March 25 to May 3.
Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Puri said on Monday restrictions on passenger flights will be lifted only when the Centre is confident that the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has been controlled. He added that no decision has been taken to restart flights.
Puri’s comments came a day after aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) asked airlines not to accept bookings until further notice. DGCA said none of its circulars regarding the extension of lockdown allowed airlines to restart the bookings for journeys from May 4.
Several airlines, Indigo and Vistara, stopped advance bookings after the order. The government has extended the nationwide lockdown imposed on March 25 to May 3.
“I want to once again say that flight restrictions that are in place as a result of India’s fight against COVID19 will be lifted once we are confident that spread of the virus has been controlled & it poses no danger to our country & people,” Puri tweeted.
“Since some airlines did not heed our advisory & opened bookings & started collecting money from flyers, a directive was issued to them on 19th April restraining them from doing so,” he said in another tweet.
The minister said airlines were informed that they will be given sufficient notice and time to commence bookings.
The Centre also issued an advisory on 17 April asking domestic and foreign airline operators to issue full refund for bookings till May 3. The advisory was only for those passengers who booked flights during the first lockdown period (March 25-April 14).
Authorities clarified that the order did not apply to passengers who booked flights prior to the lockdown.
