9.1 mn passengers have flown since domestic flights resumed in May: Puri

at 6:24 pm
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New Delhi (NVI): A total of 9.1 million passengers have flown since the domestic flights recommenced in May with 1.16 lakh passengers flying today, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.

He said that the domestic aviation sector is nearly witnessing pre-coronavirus figures return with increase in the number of bookings.

“Domestic civil aviation operations continue smoothly. With 1,16,398 passengers on 17th Sept 2020, we are slowly flying towards the Pre-COVID figures. More than 9.1 million passengers have now flown since operations recommenced on 25 May 2020,” said Puri.

Ministry of Civil Aviation said a total of 2,759 flight movements took place across the country on 17 September and that over 2.33 lakh footfalls were recorded at airports across the country on 17 September.

1,376 flight arrivals took place across the country on 17 September, the ministry said.

Furthermore, Airports Authority of India (AAI) said on Twitter that a total of 31,861 passengers flew across the country from northern India on 17 September, making it “one of the progressive days” for AAI’s northern region airports since the resumption of domestic flights on May 25.

The government had earlier this month allowed airlines to sell seats up to 60 per cent of their seat capacity on domestic flights.

The aviation sector has been significantly impacted due to the travel restrictions imposed in India and other countries in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

All airlines in India have taken cost-cutting measures such as pay cuts, leave without pay or firings of employees in order to conserve cash.

-CHK

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