IndiGo to resume flights from 4 May in phased manner

The airline will first begin operations for domestic routes and ramp it up further by reopening selected international flights depending on existing guidelines.

Representational image | An IndiGo Airlines aircraft | Wikipedia Commons

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.