Mumbai airport operates 41 flights on Day 2

Even as the state has allowed the airport to operate 50 flights a day combining arrivals and departures, some flights are being cancelled by the airlines over issues with slot timings, route demands and state policies with regard to operations. On Tuesday, IndiGo cancelled three flights scheduled to arrive from Dehradun, Ranchi and Guwahati.

The three cancelled flights were operated later in the day.

Sources at the airport said that with slots being given, it is the prerogative of airlines regarding decisions to fly. Slots are allotted based on the size of the airline, among other considerations.

An official associated with an airline told The Indian Express, “Routing flights has been difficult with different states having different policies for flights. It depends on what works for the airline based on slot timings, passenger demands, permissions to fly between locations, etc. The airlines don’t want to fly when there are already others who operate in the same route and timing because anyway the number of passengers flying is low.”

Recently, GoAir highlighted lack of clarity on the readiness of states and their airports with regard to acceptance of flights, or the conditions applicable to passengers entering the respective states.

The airline has announced it will fly only from June 1 onward.