Airlines Can Operate Maximum Of 65% Pre-Covid Domestic Flights: Centre

The carriers have been operating only 50 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights since June 1 in accordance with a May 28 order of the ministry. Before June 1, the cap was at 80 per cent.

Airlines can now operate a maximum of 65 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights instead of the 50 per cent allowed till date, the civil aviation ministry said on Monday. The carriers have been operating only 50 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights since June 1 in accordance with a May 28 order of the ministry. Before June 1, the cap was at 80 per cent. The May 28 decision to bring down the cap from 80 to 50 per cent was taken "in view of the sudden surge in the number of active COVID-19 cases across the country, decrease in passenger traffic and the passenger load (occupancy rate) factor", the ministry had said. It issued a fresh order on Monday, wherein it modified the May 28 order stating that "50 per cent capacity may be read as 65 per cent capacity".