Airlines can operate maximum 60 pc of pre-COVID domestic flights till Feb 24 next year: Govt

New Delhi, Nov 4: Indian airlines can operate maximum 60 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic passenger flights till February 24 next year due to the prevailing coronavirus situation, the Civil Aviation Ministry has said.

The ministry had informed the airlines about the 60 per cent limit through an official order on September 2 but it had not told them the period for which the cap would remain in place. On October 29, the ministry issued a new order clarifying that the September 2 order "shall remain in force until 2359 hrs on February 24, 2021 or until further orders" due to the "prevailing situation of COVID-19".

On June 26, the ministry had allowed the airlines to operate a maximum of 45 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights.

The ministry had resumed domestic passenger services from May 25, after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. However, the airlines were allowed to operate not more than 33 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights.

Modifying its previous order of June 26 where it had put the 45 per cent limit on the number of domestic flights, the ministry issued an order on September 2 stating that, "45 per cent capacity may be read as 60 per cent capacity."

Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in the country since March 23 due to the pandemic. However, special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble pacts signed with various countries since July.