All domestic and international flights will remain suspended till 31 May, the Indian government said on Sunday, as it extended the countrywide lockdown by another fortnight.
Only domestic air ambulances, flights for medical services and security purposes, and repatriation flights by Air India will be allowed to operate during this period, the Indian home ministry said.
India suspended all flights since 25 March when the government first imposed a nationwide lockdown. The lockdown has since been extended thrice, every fortnight, from the initial announcement date.
National carrier Air India on Sunday said it will resume flight bookings only after receiving directions from the government. It asked passengers to follow the Twitter handles of the civil aviation ministry and Air India, and their respective websites, for official announcements on the resumption of flights.
An internal memo of Air India said earlier that all its domestic flights, except for charter and evacuation flights, will remain canceled till 31 May, adding that the date for starting operations will be notified in due course.
“The delay in the resumption of flights will hurt airlines dearly. As airline costs keep piling up, revenues have dried up completely. And, to top it, there’s uncertainty with the resumption of services," said an official with a no-frills carrier.
Spokespersons of IndiGo, SpiceJet, GoAir, Vistara and AirAsia India were not immediately available for comment.
The airlines also expect weak demand due to traveler concerns of viral infection when flights resume.
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