New Delhi: IndiGo on Tuesday said it will resume flight services from May 4 in a phased manner by initially flying planes on vital domestic routes and then ramping up gradually.
The airline’s statement comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that the COVID-19 lockdown has been extended till May 3.
In its press release, Ronojoy Dutta, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo said, “Complementing the government’s efforts against COVID-19, we will restart flight operations on vital corridors of air traffic from May 4, 2020.”
“We will begin operations for domestic only and then gradually ramp it up further, to commence operations on some international routes as well,” Dutta added.
IndiGo is working closely with the government and the airports to take its aircraft to a “significantly higher level of cleanliness” while ensuring “social distancing”, the CEO said.
Initially, India had imposed a 21-day lockdown from March 25 to April 14 to curb the spread of coronavirus. All domestic and international commercial passenger flights have been suspended during the lockdown period.
India’s largest carrier IndiGo said in its press release on Tuesday, “Initially, starting with a slightly curtailed capacity, the airline will increase the operating capacity over the subsequent months, also reopening selected international flights, depending on the existing international travel guidelines.”
Aviation sector has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. All major airlines, including IndiGo, have taken cost-cutting measures like pay cuts for employees during the last few weeks.
On Tuesday, the Civil Aviation Ministry tweeted, “All domestic and international scheduled airlines operations shall remain suspended till 11.59 pm of 3rd May, 2020.”
After the ministry’s tweet, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said there were good reasons for the lockdown to be extended till May 3.
“We can consider lifting restrictions on both domestic and international flights thereafter. I understand the problems being faced by people who need to travel and request them to bear with us,” Puri tweeted.
Also read: Delhi airport is working 24×7, operating 22 cargo flights per day for medical supplies
Why write such article when you weren’t sure. Seem like it’s in your DNA to publish in warranted news.
Aunty’s in tier 3 cities know better than your social media graduate reporters.
Namaste. ..salam….i kindly request To the government to Allow INTERNATIONAL Flights… So that Indian People who got stucked are hardly managing, Are suffering alone they are apart from their family!!!!
Government should allow flights to operate as to manage people to go back safely.
I request to our Respected PM that plz start some flights to reach their Homes!!!!!!!! Plz understand this situation!?Ty!
Bze of these lockdown i stuck in ranchi far away from my home i live in kol plz help me i want to go back to my home to family
I have been stuck in Mumbai since Lockdown started. I had booked flight ticket for 17 Apr then for may 9 now. have no money left to survive over here. I hardly managed to survive over here. People like me are across the country stuck away from their homes for a long time now.
Government should allow domestic flights to operate as to manage people to go back safely to their homes.
Mr Puri, I request you to start the domestic flights on 4 may as like me many people are stucked up far away from home. I have been stucked up since 19/3/20 and now we are fed up of staying away from home as the money is going to be exausted in couple of days. Then what will I do. Shall I stand on road or start robbing people.
Situation in mumbai is going worst day by day.
People who got stucked are suffering alone they are apart from their family govt should release them they should consider them and open domestic flights routes.
Let those stupid ,idiot come outside and stand on the road far away from there home then those idiot will come to know . At least they have to start in phased manner so people can able to migrate to there home town at least. I request to our respected PM that plz start some flight ,buses and trains so we can at least reach home.
Now Mr puri is telling there are no plans to resume flights. Till now our minister of aviation was sleeping. After so many people booked tickets now comes this news. All idiots in one place. I request these so called ministers to come out of their so called air conditioned room and stand on road for half an hour then they will come to now the hardships faced by common man. At least open one means of transport for us. Govt is bringing back children from ko Ya because they r from well to do families n they have VIP links but what abt us stranded in India. In the whole world modi is sending passengers n medicines n God now’s what else. He is least concerned abt us. If Maharashtra is having more patients then y m I punished because i came one day before to see my sick mother. From day one i m inside only how will I contract disease. I m stranded in mumbai need to go to bangalore as my husband is alone there
The indigo airlines should specify now itself which vital flights they will operate from 4 th may till 9 th may ( at least for one week ) and clearly state what they intend to for the tickets booked for other flights during the week
They can use the cover shell for these tickets also.
It should not be in any hurry to accept bookings. No less an authority than the Cabinet Secretary had said that there would be no extension of the lockdown beyond 14th April. It is the virus that now dictates the time table.