Domestic flights to resume on May 25: Civil Aviation Minister

Flights will resume operations after two months

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Photo for representation only.

New Delhi, May 20: Domestic flights will resume operations from May 25, the minister for civil aviation said on Wednesday.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri said flights will resume in a calibrated manner”.

“Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from Monday, May 25, 2020. All airports and air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from 25th May,” Puri said on Twitter. “SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for passenger movement are also being separately issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.” 

The development comes as the central government looks at slowly easing strict lockdown restrictions first called on March 25—and extended thrice since—to slow the spread of coronavirus.

The central government recently extended lockdown until May 31. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued guidelines on May 17 easing several restrictions, including those on public transport, but banned air travel. 

The MHA deleted air travel from its list of prohibited activities through an order on Wednesday evening. 

Flights will resume on May 25 after a gap of two months.