India restricts airlines to 80% capacity until end mid-2Q21

India’s domestic airlines may continue to operate 80% of their 2020 summer domestic schedules until May 31, 2021, according to a directive issued by the country’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on April 26, 2021. This allows for a total of 18,843 departures per week by 11 airlines from 108 airports, the DGCA said in a separate circular. A breakdown of weekly departures for the summer schedule 2021, taken as per 80% of summer 2020 and provided by the DGCA, showed that IndiGo Airlines would have the highest weekly departures of 8,749; followed by SpiceJet with 2,854 departures; GoAir operating 1,747 departures; Air India coming in with 1,683 departures; Vistara with 1,288; AirAsia India with 1,243; Alliance Air (India) with 742; TruJet with 344; Star Air (India) with 115; flybig with 54: and Pawan Hans Helicopters with 24 departures per week. The DGCA restricted airlines to operate only up to 33% of their pre-COVID-19 schedule from May 2020 when scheduled domestic passenger services resumed. It has since gradually increased the number of weekly frequencies up to the current 80% from December 3, 2020. Meanwhile, international commercial passenger services to/from India remain prohibited until midnight on May 31, 2021, except for flights specifically approved by the DGCA and international all-cargo operations. International flights on selected routes may be allowed on a case-to-case basis, the DGCA said.