Govt Mulling To Start Commercial Flight Services from May 17, Discussion On With Airlines

Government is in discussion with airlines to start scheduled commercial flight services post lockdown on May 17, top government sources have confirmed CNN-News18. The flight services will resume in phased manner with domestic airlines operating in the initial phase, followed by international flights.

Government is also discussing social distancing norms in the flight. Airlines have suggested that vacating one seat to maintain social distance inside the flight will increase the price burden on passengers.

Airlines and Ministry are working out to operate without compromising on health and security and ministry has asked airlines to work out other measures so that passengers will not be paying this additional burden.

No final decision has been reached so far and the consent of PM Modi will be taken once final plan is ready.

Delhi airport, earlier said that it will initially operate commercial passenger flights from Terminal 3 after the lockdown ends, adding that entry gates, self check-in machines and check-in bays will be allocated to airlines to avoid overcrowding by air travellers.

The airport will keep all food, beverage and retail shops open to avoid overcrowding at one place and use "ultraviolet disinfection tunnels" for all incoming baggage, according to a plan prepared by the GMR group-led Delhi International Airport Ltd.

The plan said the passengers of Vistara and IndiGo would enter the airport through gates 1 and 2 only. These two airlines will have check-in rows A, B and C among them, it said.

AirAsia India and Air India passengers will use entry gates 3 and 4. These passengers will then go to rows D, E and F where the staff of these two airlines would assist them check-in, according to the plan.

SpiceJet and GoAir passengers would enter through gate 5 towards the staff of these two airlines at rows G and H for check-in.

Passengers of all other domestic airlines will enter through gate 5 and will head to row H, the plan said.

All international airlines' passengers would be entering the airport using gates 6, 7 and 8. The staff of these airlines would be sitting at rows J, K, L and M for check-in at Terminal 3.

With Inputs from PTI