(TAN): India will allow passenger flights to begin operations only after it is confident that the coronavirus outbreak is under control, the country’s Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.
“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 and it poses no danger to our country and people,” he tweeted.
While India has not reached a decision on easing restrictions on domestic and international flight services, it urged airlines to refrain from taking bookings until further directions from the government.
Airlines had been selling tickets in advance although there was no clearance from the government to resume operations, a circular from the government said. It added that airlines will be given “sufficient notice and time” to restart operations.
“Since some airlines did not heed our advisory and opened bookings and started collecting money from flyers, a directive was issued to them on 19th April restraining them from doing so. They were also informed that they will be given sufficient notice and time to commence bookings,” Puri further tweeted.
The travel restrictions could add to the pressure of the already financially struggling airlines, reports said.
India has suspended all domestic flights until the midnight of May 3 and international flights until 1830 hours on May 3, in a bid to stem the spread of the pandemic. The move came after the country announced the extension of the 21-day nationwide lockdown until May 3, reports said.
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