India Extends Restrictions on Domestic Flights Operations for Four Months

The Indian government has decided to extend the existing restrictions on limited domestic flight operations and caps on air fares till November 24, 2020.

Currently, domestic flight operations are allowed to function at 45 per cent of their total capacity. Media reports quoted a senior official at the civil aviation ministry as saying that “We will be extending our capacity of flight operations.”

Last month the ministry had cleared an increase in capacity of flight operations to 45 per cent from 33 per cent.

On May 21, it capped domestic flights to a third of their approved summer schedule.

The country’s aviation regulator

Director General of Civil Aviation had in May imposed fare limits for different bands. Domestic flights of less than 40-minute duration are supposed to have lower and upper limits of 2000 Indian Rupees (FJ$57.04) and 6000 Indian Rupees (FJ$171.11).

Flights of 150-180 minutes have 5500 Indian Rupees (FJ$156.85) and 15,700 Indian Rupees (FJ$447.73) as the lower and upper limits, respectively.

According to the ministry’s directive, the airlines in the country should adhere to these upper and lower fares limits during the COVID-19 pandemic period.