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No specific decision when air and rail travel will start
April 19: In what seems to be some sort of disappointment for those who are stranded outside their hometown, the government has not yet taken any final decision regarding resuming air and rail travel. Union Minister Praksh Javadekar said, “It has to start one day but which is that one day you don’t know at this moment. Discussion about it is futile because we are examining the situation every day and drawing new lessons.”
The Ministry of Civil Aviation clarifies that so far no decision has been taken to open domestic or international operations. Airlines are advised to open their bookings only after a decision in this regard has been taken by the Government. This was tweeted by Union Minister of Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri. He clearly mentioned that airlines were advised to open bookings only after Centre’s decision. Currently, the Centre has extended the nationwide lockdown till May 3, amid the wide spread COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation clarifies that so far no decision has been taken to open domestic or international operations.
Airlines are advised to open their bookings only after a decision in this regard has been taken by the Government.@MoCA_GoI @DGCAIndia @AAI_Official
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) April 18, 2020
Some airlines, including Air India, had opened bookings on select domestic routes from 4 May, prompting Puri to advise them to open bookings only after the government takes a decision on starting domestic and international commercial passenger flight services.
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday, 19 April, said the central government has so far not taken any decision on starting train or airline services once the COVID-19 lockdown ends on 3 May, asserting that any discussion on the issue is futile.
The government announced a halt to domestic flights on March 23, ordering commercial airlines to shut down domestic operations on top of an existing ban on international flights to try and contain the spread of the coronavirus.
