Aviation minister’s tweet caught airlines and airports off guard as they were preparing for a resumption from June 1
Reversing its recent stance, the government on Wednesday announced that domestic airline operations would resume on May 25, more than two months after all flights were halted. Earlier this week, the Union home ministry, while announcing the extension of lockdown, had prohibited air transport till May 31.
“Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from Monday, May 25. All airports and air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from May 25,” Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced in a Twitter message, adding that the final SOP (standard operating procedure) on resumption was being framed by his ministry. Passengers will have to web check-in and will not be allowed to carry luggage inside the aircraft cabin except for a laptop or a purse. Also, airlines will have to provide a mask, face shield and sanitizers to passengers at the time of boarding, it is learnt.
Although discussed earlier, the new norms don’t talk about keeping the middle seat vacant to ensure social distancing. India grounded domestic air transport starting March 24, a day before the lockdown came into effect, to curb the spread of the coronavirus. International flights, which were stopped on March 22, remain shut. Puri’s tweet caught airlines and airports off guard as they were preparing to resume operations from June 1. But, later in the evening civil aviation secretary held a meeting with chief executive officers of airlines to discuss service resumption plans.
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