Govt. to soon allow airlines to operate at 75% capacity on domestic routes

New Delhi: The Indian government will soon allow scheduled airlines to operate at up to 75% of their pre-covid-19 capacity on domestic routes, up from current levels of 60%, Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference, Puri said that according to his assessment, the number of daily air passengers is set to rise up to 200,000 by October-end, while pre-covid figures of 300,000 passengers per day will be reached between Diwali and New Year.

"We will watch it for another week or ten days and then we will have no hesitation to increase the cap for civil aviation to 75%," Puri said at a press conference.

Indian airlines resumed domestic operations on 25 May, after being grounded for two months during a government-backed lockdown to contain the pandemic. At the time, airlines were allowed to operate only up to a third of their total capacity, with the cap later being increased to 45% and then to 60%.

Puri also said that the Indian government has formalized air bubble arrangements with 16 countries—USA, Canada, France, Germany, UK, Maldives, UAE, Qatar, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Japan, Nigeria, Kenya, Iraq, Bhutan and Oman—while it is in discussions with Italy, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and others for similar arrangements.

Air bubbles or travel halls permit assigned carriers of two countries to fly travelers whichever way with



no limitation. 

Worldwide business flights stay suspended at any rate till 30 October. Nonetheless, certain flights like bringing home, payload, ones under air bubble plans, aside from exceptional flights, are permitted to work.

Puri added that international travel under air bubble arrangement is expected to continue at least till March-April next year or till the time there is a vaccine for covid-19.

Aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola said that aviation ministry officials have held talks with German airline Lufthansa, which earlier cancelled all flights to India till 20 October due to what it termed an “unexpected rejection" of its planned flight schedule for October by Indian authorities.

"Talks (with Lufthansa) were constructive and we are sure we will meet them soon and an air bubble arrangement (which is already in place) will be finalized with Germany," Kharola said.

Meanwhile, Airports Authority of India (AAI) chairman Arvind Singh said at the press conference that AAI has identified six airports at Belgavi, Jalgaon, Kalaburagi, Khajuraho, Salem, and Lilabari to set up flying training institutes.

"This would be done on a competitive bidding basis. We have reduced concession fee and other charges to incentivize private operators to set up their shops. AAI will soon come out with a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the same," Singh added.