International flight operations could start by mid-June or end-July if the COVID-19 virus “behaves in a predictable manner”, Civil Aviation Minister of India, Hardeep Singh Puri said Saturday afternoon, during an online discussion with the public to clarify norms governing “calibrated” restart of domestic flights from Monday.
Puri also said the government was working towards restarting a “good percentage” of flight operations grounded since the start of the lockdown to break the coronavirus chain of transmission.
“Why wait till August or September? If situation eases or improves, if virus behaves in predictable manner and we get used to co-exist(ing) with it, we’re in position to make arrangements. Why not start by June middle or end July?” Puri said today.
During his interaction the minister also said there was no need to quarantine domestic passengers who show “green” on the Aarogya Setu app.
He made a similar point during a press briefing on Thursday, during which he revealed details of revised flight ops, including air fares and seven categories of routes.
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