DGCA asks airlines to stop taking bookings till govt decides on resumption

The government, last week, extended the countrywide lockdown to contain the Covid-19 outbreak from April 14 to May 3. With this, the ban on scheduled passenger flights was also extended.

DGCA, airlines bookings, Air India bookings, coronavirus lockdown, coronavirus aviation lockdown, coronavirus India lockdown, Business news, Indian Express

On Saturday, Air India opened bookings for domestic flights on its network from May onwards and for international flights from June 1.

The country’s aviation regulator has asked all airlines to stop taking bookings for future dates, after Air India started booking tickets on Saturday and had to stop shortly after Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri advised carriers to open bookings only after the government decided to resume flight operations.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday issued a circular saying: “… There was no direction/clearance, which allows the airlines to start bookings for the journeys to be undertaken w.e.f. May 4, 2020. Further it has been noted that airlines have started booking tickets for journeys w.e.f. May 4, 2020. In this respect, it is brought to the notice of all concerned that no decision to commence the operation of domestic/international flights … has been taken yet”. The regulator also asked airlines to refrain from taking forward booking and ensure strict compliance of the same.

“The airlines may note that they shall be given sufficient notice and time for restarting of operations,” the DGCA added.

A senior executive at a private airline argued that it was a matter of interpretation and that the government did not restrict the carriers from taking bookings either. “But now since the directions are clear, we will comply,” the executive said.

On Saturday, Air India opened bookings for domestic flights on its network from May onwards and for international flights from June 1. “The Ministry of Civil Aviation clarifies that so far no decision has been taken to open domestic or international operations. Airlines are advised to open their bookings only after a decision in this regard has been taken by the Government,” Puri had said in his tweet.

The government, last week, extended the countrywide lockdown to contain the Covid-19 outbreak from April 14 to May 3. With this, the ban on scheduled passenger flights was also extended.

Earlier this month, the government advised airlines to refund passengers who had booked during the lockdown period for travel in the first lockdown and the extended period of it. However, there has been no indication from the government or the airlines about whether the passengers who have booked tickets for travel after May 3 will be refunded, should the lockdown be extended further.

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Earlier, Air India said passengers who had booked tickets for the travel period between March 23 and April 30 need not cancel their tickets as they would automatically get credit vouchers for future travel.