The government-imposed upper and lower limits on airfares may be extended beyond August 24 depending upon how the situation turns out, Aviation Secretary P S Kharola said on Saturday. The government resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25 after nearly two months of suspension to combat the coronavirus outbreak but placed lower and upper limits on airfares depending upon the flight duration.
It had said on May 21 that these limits would be in place for a period of three months.
“Depending on how the situation turns out, the fare band may have to adjust beyond that (August 24) also. But right now, it is only for three months,” Kharola said at a press conference here.
International passenger flights continue to remain suspended in the country.
However, the government started Vande Bharat Mission on May 6 to help stranded people reach their destinations through special flights.
Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said at the conference that during phase 3 and phase 4 of the mission, private domestic airlines have been approved to operate 750 international flights to repatriate people stranded amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Air India has planned 300 flights under phase-3, phase-4 of Vande Bharat Mission, he said at a press briefing.
“Close to 2,75,000 Indians, who were stranded in foreign countries, have been brought back to the country in flights and ships during the lockdown,” the minister said.
About domestic flight operations, Puri said India is not able to carry out 33% capacity of its operations yet and that maximum daily traffic seen so far was 72,000 passengers.
Puri said 33% capacity will be reached when daily passenger traffic reaches 100,000.
“Will mull over international flights once domestic air traffic reaches 50-55% capacity,” Puri said. He further said border acceptance, entry restrictions, quarantine conditions are factors to be considered in international flights.
Entry into US, UK, Brazil, UAE, Singapore is conditional and some countries are allowing entry to only their citizens, said Puri.
“Any suggestion that international traffic has opened up and we are the only one not to open up needs a reality check. The exact time when we will resume international flight depends on when the other countries will be open to receive flights,” said Puri.
The minister said he expects Indian aviation to resume pre-virus levels anywhere between Diwali and the end of the year. He also said that he is confident, and optimistic about Air India divestment more than ever.
“If international operations have to start, both ends have to be ready and there has to be traffic. There is a significant amount of traffic between India and the North American continent. We may think of opening flights on a case-to-case basis,” said Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola.
