KOLKATA: After a 21-day nationwide lock-down, PM Modi announced an extension to the lock-down period by 3 weeks till 3rd of May, 2020. Airlines had started booking tickets post that date, assuming resumption of flight operations once lockdown is lifted.
Now, an order by Directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA), on Sunday, has compelled IndiGo to stop all flight bookings till 31st of May, 2020. All other private airlines, across India, are likely to follow suit. So, all flights are likely to be grounded till the end of May, unless an explicit government decision that states otherwise.
On Saturday, state-carrier, Air India, had already stopped bookings till the end of May.
In a circular dated 19th April, The DGCA stated,”…There was no clearance, which allows the airlines to start bookings for the journeys to be undertaken wef the 4th of May 2020. Further it has been noted that airlines have started booking tickets for journeys wef from 4th of May 2020. In this respect, it is brought to the notice of all concerned that no decision to commence the operation of domestic/international flights wef the 4thof May 2020 has been taken yet. In view of this, all airlines are hereby directed to refrain from booking tickets as described above.”
This DGCA order follows an advisory tweeted by aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri asking airlines to not take bookings beyond 3rd of May, 2020.
Moreover, on Thursday, the civil aviation ministry had ordered airlines to offer full refunds to passengers, who had booked advance tickets for flights during lock-down.
The airlines had kept bookings open, for flights post-April 14th, despite public apprehensions that lock-down would be extended. Now, this recent ban on bookings will ensure that passengers stop bookings tickets on flights beyond the end of lock-down as flights may get cancelled if the government extends the lock-down period further or decides against resuming flight operations despite lifting the lock-down.