The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday (April 14) announced that all domestic and international flights will remain suspended in India till May 3. The Ministry made the announcement soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared in his address to the nation that the nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus COVID-19 is being extended for 19 more days.
All domestic and international scheduled Airlines operations shall remain suspended till 11.59 pm of 3rd May 2020.
— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) April 14, 2020
It may be recalled that PM Modi had announced the 21-day nationwide lockdown on March 24 and on Tuesday he extended it till May 3.
Justifying the decision, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri said that there were good reasons to extend the lockdown till May 3 and restrictions on both domestic and international flights could be lifted after that.
"There were good reasons for the Lockdown to be extended till 3rd May. We can consider lifting restrictions on both domestic & international flights thereafter. I understand the problems being faced by people who need to travel & request them to bear with us," he tweeted.
There were good reasons for the Lockdown to be extended till 3rd May.
We can consider lifting restrictions on both domestic & international flights thereafter.
I understand the problems being faced by people who need to travel & request them to bear with us.
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) April 14, 2020
Notably, all international flights in India were banned much before the lockdown and domestic flights were also after the imposition of lockdown and 650 aircraft have been stranded at different airports across the country since then.
The coronavirus pandemic has hit the aviation sector very hard, forcing many airlines to ask their employees to go on a sabbatical without pay. It is expected that ticket would increase after the resumption of flight operations.
The aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), however, said that cargo flights, offshore helicopter operations, medical evacuation flights and special flights will continue to operate during the lockdown.
