Domestic air travel resumes in India after 2 months, 630 flights cancelled

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New Delhi: Almost a gap of two months, domestic passenger flights resumed operations on Monday (May 25) even as a number of states were apprehensive about opening up their airports in view of the rising number of coronavirus COVID-19 cases. According to PTI, as many as 630 flights were cancelled today after West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh showed reluctancy to allow domestic flight services from their airports. 

On the other hand, there were limited operations at major airports such as Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.

Consequently, many passengers reached the airports on Monday only to be told by the airline staff that their flights have been cancelled. Many people took to social media to vent their anger.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Monday evening, "From no domestic passenger flights yesterday to 532 flights and 39,231 passengers today, action has returned to Indian skies. With Andhra Pradesh set to resume operations from tomorrow & West Bengal from 28 May, these numbers are all set to increase further."

The first flight on Monday took off from Delhi for Pune at 4.45 am under strict regulations recommended by civil aviation authorities. The first flight from Mumbai was to Patna at 6.45 am.

On May 24, Bengal government announced that Kolkata and Bagdogra airports will not operate any domestic flight between May 25 and 27 but will handle 20 flights each daily from May 28. Moreover, Vijayawada and Vizag airports in Andhra Pradesh will handle just 20 per cent of their pre-lockdown flights from May 26.

Mumbai airport, which is India''s second busiest airport, will handle only 50 flights daily from Monday, the Centre said, adding Chennai airport will see only 25 arrivals per day. There were no limits set on departures from Chennai airport. Moreover, Hyderabad in Telangana will handle just 30 flights every day from Monday, the government said.

With the aviation sector reeling under severe stress due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown that began on March 25, the government had last week announced resumption of domestic flight services from May 25 under specific rules and guidelines.

It had set a cap on ticket pricing, made wearing of face masks by passengers mandatory, no food served onboard planes and making available details of medical conditions by travellers through the Aarogya Setu app or by filling up of a self-declaration form.

The app gives colour-coded designation to users according to their health status and travel history. It helps the users know if they were near anyone who tested COVID-19 positive.