SunstarTV Bureau: Airlines in India are likely to get permit to operate at the pre-covid capacity levels by the year-end or mid-January, informed Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
“By December 31 or soon thereafter [which] means a week or two weeks thereafter we will back to pre-Covid levels from existing 70%,” said Puri on Monday.
Virtually addressing the Indian School of Business’s Deccan Dialogue, the Minister has said that he had already urged officials to consider allowing airlines to operate at 80% from the 70% the carriers are permitted now.
“Civil aviation in the country was resumed on May 25, a good two months and two days after we had completely locked down [for COVID-19] with 30,000 passengers in a day. Two or three days ago, just before Diwali, we carried 225,000 [passengers],” he said, stressing the need of adherence to the safety protocols.
He is keeping a positive attitude towards boost in the Civil Aviation in coming few years. Development of 100 new airports and the massive opportunity for investment available across the aviation ecosystem, will aid to his vision.
One of the most vital lessons learnt from the Covid-19 pandemic is how countries that are globalised ought to ensure that they do not become solely dependent on a particular country or region for supply of essential goods and services, added Puri.
Domestic Civil Aviation Operations continue on a steady growth trajectory.
✈️ 2,21,983 passengers
✈️ 1,919 flights
✈️ Total flight movements 3,838
✈️ Footfalls at airports 4,44,789
(On 16th November 2020) pic.twitter.com/5bXhnoSLDW— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) November 17, 2020
