India says no decision yet on easing or lifting flight restrictions
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FILE
PHOTO: Passengers wearing protective masks arrive to collect their
luggage inside an airport following an outbreak of the coronavirus
disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India, March 14, 2020.
REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis
(Reuters)
- India has not yet taken a decision on when to lift or ease
restrictions on domestic and international flights and urged airlines to
take travel bookings only after a final decision is made, a government
minister said.
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.
“The Ministry of Civil
Aviation clarifies that so far no decision has been taken to open
domestic or international operations,” civil aviation minister Hardeep
Singh Puri said in a tweet late on Saturday.
“Airlines are advised to open their bookings only after a decision in this regard has been taken by the Government”, he added.
About 144 million people travelled on domestic flights last year.
Indian
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day national lockdown in
late March to contain the spread of the virus outbreak. The lockdown has
been extended until May 3 at least.
Still, India has announced a
roadmap to restart some industrial activity after April 20 in locations
that are not coronavirus hotspots to try to revive the economy.
India
has reported over 15,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 500 deaths as of
early Sunday, according to data from the Indian government.
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