The government has permitted Indian airlines to increase the number of domestic passenger flights to 60 per cent of their pre-COVID services, in a move to further ease restrictions. Earlier, in June 26, the Ministry of Civil Aviation had allowed the airlines to operate a maximum of 45 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights.
The ministry had restarted domestic passenger services from May 25, after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. However, the airlines were allowed to operate not more than 33 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights. Modifying its previous order of June 26 where it had put the 45 per cent limit on the number of domestic flights, the ministry issued an order stating that ‘45 per cent capacity may be read as 60 per cent capacity’.
The average occupancy rate in domestic flights since their resumption in India on May 25 has been around 50-60 per cent only. Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in the country since March 23 due to the pandemic. However, special international flights have been operating under Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble pacts signed with various countries since July.
