Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence from May 25: Hardeep Singh Puri
The domestic, international flights have been suspended by the Central government ever since the lockdown was enforced to control the spread of coronavirus. Likewise, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) extended the ban on domestic and international passenger flight operations till May 31.
The decision came after the central government extended the nationwide lockdown till May 31 to check the spread of coronavirus. Similarly, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in its guidelines stated that all the domestic and international air travel of passengers except for the domestic medical services and air ambulance, and for security purposes will remain prohibited till May 31.
Meanwhile, the Union Minister for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday took to Twitter and wrote: "Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from Monday 25th May 2020. All airports & air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from 25th May. SOPs for passenger movement are also being separately issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation."
https://twitter.com/HardeepSPuri/status/1263068920690302977?s=20
Earlier, during ET Now Webinar, he was asked about how soon we can see the resumption of domestic flights, to which he said that he is aware of the hardships that people have been facing in the time of coronavirus crisis.
During the webinar, he stated that "The Centre and Airports have been ready to restart domestic flights for one week but stated said no emphatically... I only need 3 days notice to resume domestic flights... Domestic flights can resume before lockdown 4.0 ends."
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He also mentioned that the decision of domestic flight resumption has to come in consultation with the state governments. Hardeep Puri said that urban mobility cannot be divorced from the ground reality. "We were one of the first countries to stop flights from China. We have screened about 15 lakh, incoming passengers," he said.
-PTC News
