From providing protective gear like face shields and gowns to cabin crew to deep cleaning of aircraft every 24 hours, airlines are taking various measures as they plan to restart curtailed domestic operations from Monday onwards amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) issued a standard operating procedures (SOPs) to airport operators on Thursday. Nearly after two-month complete shutdown due to COVID-19, Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday said commercial flights will resume beginning May 25. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) issues fresh guidelines to be followed for airlines and passengers.
Some airlines have started bookings for flights from June onwards, sources said on Monday amid commercial flight services remaining suspended till May 31 due to the nationwide lockdown. Commercial flights have been suspended since March 25 when the lockdown began to curb spreading of coronavirus infections.
Cabin crew members of Indian airlines will have personal protective equipment (PPE) like face shields, gowns and masks as part of their attire on commercial passenger flights when they resume operations, industry sources said.
Commercial passenger flights at Delhi airport will initially operate from Terminal 3 after the lockdown ends, said a senior official of its operator DIAL on Sunday, adding that entry gates, self check-in machines and check-in bays will be allocated to airlines to avoid overcrowding by air travellers.
For the first time in its aviation history, Pakistan's cash-strapped national carrier - Pakistan International Airlines - has been given permission by the US authorities to enter America directly, PTI reported quoting PIA spokesperson.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been allowed by the US Department of Transportation to conduct direct flights to America with immediate effect, the flag carrier announced.
Full-service carrier Vistara on Thursday said that it will introduce new temporary operating procedures to minimise touch points of human contact on board its flights upon resumption of services.
An engeneer of Budget carrier SpiceJet's has tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday. The airline said that it is taking all measures to provide appropriate medical care to the person.
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday directed all airlines to stop taking flight bookings after the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a circular for all airlines asking them to refrain from booking tickets.
Vistara CEO Leslie Thng on Wednesday announced that senior employees will be going on compulsory leave without pay for up to three days between April 15 and April 30 as a measure to further conserve the airline''s cash flow amid the lockdown to combat the coronavirus threat.
With the central government extending the lockdown to May 3 and subsequently suspension of all commercial passenger services till then, domestic airlines have again decided not to refund the customers in cash for their cancelled flights and instead offer them rescheduling of tickets for a later date without any additional fee.
The Indian airlines are currently grounded but they slightly eased the tense situation with a witty Twitter thread on Friday.
IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta has said that there will be no meal service for passengers for some time once the flight services resume post lockdown. Also, there will be only 50 per cent occupancy of passengers in airport buses. In situations like these, companies do not manage to growth or profitability but to liquidity.
As aviation industry struggles during lockdown, many may have lost the spirit. Following which an Indigo pilot Pradeep Krishnan has shared a video with pilots and cabin crew of all leading airline in India to say their morale is high and they 'will fly again soon.'
Budget airline SpiceJet on Tuesday operated the country's first cargo-on-seat flight carrying vital supplies in the passenger cabin and belly space from Delhi to Chennai.
The Indian Railways and major airlines have started to accept bookings from passengers from April 15, the day when the 21-day-lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes to an end
According to one of the world's leading flight tracking portal, Flightradar24.com, the total flights per day now has gone below 100,000. According to Flightradar24, at this point in the year, an average of over 175,000 flights operate per day. This week the total number of flights tracked dropped below 100,000 and total commercial traffic is below 50,000 flights per day.
SpiceJet has offered services of its aircraft and crew members to the government for any humanitarian mission during the 21-day lockdown and the airline is ready to operate some flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Patna to alleviate the suffering of migrant workers, especially those from Bihar
The DGCA on Monday issued a set of guidelines concerning social distancing for airlines and airport staffers. According to these rules, airport authorities have been asked to maintain adequate spacing at check-in counters between passengers and between each count.
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