India’s decision to resume domestic flights from May 25 was a bolt out of the blue for most of the country’s aviation companies.
Top executives at three Indian airlines said they learned about the move when the aviation minister tweeted it. The executives asked not to be identified citing rules on speaking to the media. Airline shares surged.
Most airlines have suspended ticket sales at least until June 1 and were staring at a longer stint on the ground, until the minister announced the government’s plan to reopen the skies. Many are puzzled as the lifting coincides with India emerging as a nation where coronavirus infections are spreading at the fastest pace in Asia.
While airlines, strapped for cash due to the shutdown, were waiting for a decision, the short notice makes it harder for them to prepare for operations, deploy staff, arrange for protective gear, and ensure the virus stays away from flights, the people said.
Technical teams of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the industry regulator, will meet airlines on Thursday to finalize a curtailed schedule “as quickly as possible,” before tickets go on sale, Arun Kumar, the head of the DGCA, said in a text message.
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