As Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced the extension of the nationwide lockdown till May 3, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said that all domestic and international flights will remain suspended during the period.
“All domestic and international scheduled airlinesoperations shall remain suspended till 11:59 p.m. of May 3,” the aviationregulator said in a tweet.
The DGCA had earlier stopped operations of passenger flightson all domestic routes from March 25 to March 31 and then extended it to April14.
Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puritweeted that there were good reasons for the extension of the lockdown till May3 and the government may consider lifting restrictions on both domestic andinternational flight thereafter.
“I understand the problems being faced by people whoneed to travel & request them to bear with us. Following the announcementfor lockdown extension, airlines have said that they are cancelling the ticketsbooked till May 3,” he said in a tweet.
Airlines have also said that they are working on thecancellations of tickets booked till May 3.
Budget airline IndiGo said that it is in process ofcancelling the reservations. “Your ticket amount is protected in the formof credit shell in the PNR, which will be shared with you in the next 5-7days,” IndiGo tweeted.
SpiceJet said: “Upon cancellation, your entire amountwill be maintained in a credit shell and the same may be used to make a freshbooking and travel till February 28, 2021 for the same passenger”.