In a series of updates, the government has made three major announcements affecting both domestic and international flight operations in India. The new rules and regulations have been imposed keeping the passenger demand and the ever-changing COVID restrictions in mind.

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Here’s everything you need to know:

Suspension of scheduled international flights till April end

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has extended the restriction on scheduled international commercial flights till April 30. This, however, does not include those international flights which have already been approved by the authorities.

Along with this, the new official order also notifies that international scheduled flights may be allowed on select routes on a case to case basis.

Lower fare band for domestic flights increased by 5%

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has increased the lower fare band for domestic flights by 5%. The upper limit on airfares will remain as it is for now. According to Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, this has been done due to rise in prices of aviation turbine fuel (ATF).

Upper and lower limits are part of the seven bands of flight fare introduced by the MoCA after domestic flight services were resumed in May 2020. 

Domestic airlines to continue to operate at 80% capacity

The MoCA has also extended the limitation imposed on domestic airlines that allows them to operate up to 80 percent of their pre-COVID flights throughout the country. The limit has been retained due to decrease in passenger demand following the new quarantine rules and restrictions being imposed by several states:

There has been a continuous rise in price of ATF so it has been decided to increase the lower fare band by 5% keeping the upper fare band unchanged. We may open the sector for 100% operations when daily passenger traffic crosses 3.5 lakhs on 3 occasions in a month.

— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) March 19, 2021