The government has decided to enhance domestic flying to 45 per cent from the 33 per cent level which has been in place since domestic flying restarted on May 25.
In a late evening order the Ministry of Civil Aviation said that the “one third (1/3) capacity may be read as 45 per cent capacity”. The latest decision was taken after a review of the current status vis-à-vis passenger demand for air travel.
Rise in flyers
Addressing a press conference last week, Hardeep Puri, Minister for Civil Aviation, said that the number of passengers travelling by air had risen since flying restarted.
When flying restarted on May 25 after a gap of two months, there were 428 departures, on which about 30,500 passengers flew, and by June 19, the number of departures had increased to 784 with close to 67,000 passengers having been flown.
It, however, remains to be seen how States react to the Centre’s order enhancing domestic flights.
When flights restarted, Mumbai agreed to accept only 25 arrivals and 25 departures which was increased to 50 arrivals and departures later. Some States, however, are not keen to take in more flights citing the rising number of Covid cases.