Two years after the initial shutdown, India’s domestic air sector is once again thriving, with passenger volume exceeding pre-covid levels. Domestic traffic surpassed 4 lakh, daily passengers, on Monday, according to the most recent statistics released by Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, as he voiced optimism in India’s aviation sector returning to pre-pandemic levels.
Calling the domestic passengers ‘historic’ Scindia, he said, ‘It was a very difficult time in the previous years due to the covid pandemic. We have seen over 3.7, 3.8 and 3.9 lakhs passengers in a day over the last 10 days. I’m confident that travelling–both domestically and internationally, in India is coming back strong.’
In addition to domestic flights, India began scheduling commercial foreign flights on March 27. Due to the pandemic, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has set a pricing ceiling for 15 days, so the government may regulate the fee rise on the sale of flying tickets for the final time, as airline firms have petitioned the Ministry to lift the fare limit. After two years, the Ministry had granted 100% capacity operations.
‘When it comes to fare caps, I have a responsibility to both the passengers and the airlines. Passengers should be able to pay a reasonable rate, and airlines should be able to exist, especially since the cost of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) has skyrocketed to Rs 1,20,000 per kilolitre, a difference of around 60% in just one to one and a half years. The fare is now on a rolling system and is valid for 15 days. At the proper moment, the decision to delete it would be made’, Scindia confirmed the report to ANI.
Meanwhile, he claimed that the aviation business should be completely free of government regulation. ‘It is our intention that the aviation market operates from the start on the basis of a 100 per cent free market in the industry,’ he continued.
Notably, Scindia has urged all air travellers to ‘do not weaken their defences in the epidemic’ despite the fact that airlines would be operating at full capacity. ‘I respectfully suggest that all flying travellers wear masks and observe the guidelines. Wear a mask during the travel if possible’, he explained Scindia went on to say that while the Ministry has removed the obligatory RT-PCR report for domestic travel, ‘a few states can do the test as per their necessity.’
‘The Ministry has eliminated the requirement for RT PCR, but several states maintain some laws on the basis of their ideology, concerned about their territory. It is our job to grant that right. RT-PCR is not necessary for domestic flights at the national level. If the state considers that instances are growing in their area, this power will be granted in their area’, Scindia said.
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