Good News: Govt Increases Domestic Flight Capacity From 50% To 65%

New Delhi: Domestic flights can henceforth be operated with 65% capacity of passengers, up from 50%.

“After the review of the current status of scheduled domestic operations vis-a-vis passenger demand for air travel in terms of the purpose specified in previous order 01/2020 dated 25.05.2020… 50% capacity may be read as 65% capacity,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) stated on Monday.

The increased passenger capacity came into effect from July 5 and will be applicable up to July 31, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

“Domestic aviation operations continue with all Covid protocols in place. Number of domestic passengers increases as flying emerges as a preferred, safe & time saving mode of transport. On 4 July 2021 – 1,74,905 passengers on 1,467 flights. Total flight movements: 2,938,” Civil Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri tweeted.

“In view of a sudden change in the number of Covid-19 cases, and decrease in the number of passengers and reduced occupancy, the existing capacity cap of 80 per cent is reduced to 50 per cent (from June 1),” the ministry’s previous order stated.

The government had decided to reduce domestic airlines capacity from June 1 in the aftermath of a spike in COVID-19 cases across the country, decrease in passenger load.