Domestic flight services in India likely to resume by May 18

(TAN): After the Indian Railways restored its passenger train services in a phased manner, the government said it could resume operations of domestic passenger flights by May 18, as per reports.

The Civil Aviation Ministry is doing the groundwork so that services can restart once it gets the final nod. India’s Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Sigh Puri indicated that the government could introduce certain changes in the way of travel.

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“Preparations to restart civil aviation operations are in place. As soon as a decision is taken in this regard we will be able to take off immediately. We also foresee changes in the way people travelled thus far. A calibrated reopening can happen after the lockdown,” he tweeted.

Meanwhile, the ministry clarified it had yet to announce the final standard operating procedures that will be introduced after flights operations restart.

“There are reports in the media regarding the SOP issued by MoCA for restarting of aviation post lockdown. It is clarified that suggestions were sought on a draft discussion paper from airlines & airports. The suggestions have now been received. The final SOP is yet to be issued,” the ministry said in a tweet.

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The government had suspended all trains and flight services as part of its nationwide lockdown that it imposed in three successive phases to slow the spread of COVID-19. The ban on commercial flight operations was extended until 2359 hours IST of May 17 by the Director General of Civil Aviation’s office earlier this month.

However, as the country inches towards the end of its third phase of lockdown, passenger train services began earlier this week, with 15 pairs of special trains running from New Delhi to major stations across the country on a daily basis.

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