Due to nationwide lockdown, the airlines were grounded during the months of April and May and were allowed to restart from May 25. Initially, the airlines were allowed to operate only 33 percent of pre-COVID flights, it was later increased to 45% and then to 60% during the first week of September.
The scheduled domestic airlines operated over 2500 flights just a day ahead of the pandemic in India and is now currently permitted to operate 1500 flights daily.
As per the airline executives, the month of September was one of the best months post the lockdown as the number of seats filled per flight have also been increased. October, being the month of festive seasons and long weekends, the airlines are expecting a good number of increase in flight travels.
''The government has not taken any decision on fixing the fare band for airlines beyond November 24,'' said Puri. He further said that there is still no clarity on the resumption of normal international flights and limited international flights under air bubble arrangements will continue till that time.