NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Airlines’ plans to resume air travel in India were in disarray on Monday after some states restricted the number of flights hours before departure, causing last-minute cancellations and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.
Passengers wearing protective face masks wait in a queue to enter Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Francis MascarenhasPassengers wearing protective face masks wait in a queue to enter Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Francis MascarenhasAn airport staff member pushes trollies at the entrance of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Francis MascarenhasA person wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) carries luggage at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiPassengers wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as they stand in a queue to enter Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Francis MascarenhasA member of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) talks with a passenger through a glass shield, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, in New Delhi, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiA passenger wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) puts his luggage on a sanitation belt at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiA man wearing a protection mask and gloves holds a sign at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiA member of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) checks the ID of a passenger through a glass shield, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, in New Delhi, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiA child wearing a protection mask and gloves is seen at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiA passenger wearing gloves is pictured at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiPassengers wearing face masks maintain social distance at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New Delhi, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Adnan AbidiMalaysian shipping employees wait in a queue to enter Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, after the government allowed domestic flight services to resume, during an extended nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Mumbai, India, May 25, 2020. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
Airlines, including IndiGo, India’s biggest carrier, SpiceJet and Vistara, a joint venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, had been preparing to resume operations from Monday with about a third of their capacity amid strict rules.
But new restrictions at major airports, including Mumbai and Chennai, forced airlines to scramble late on Sunday to revise schedules.
The confusion will make it even harder for airlines to recover from the impact of a two-month lockdown to contain the novel coronavirus that has already cost tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue, industry executives, lawyers and analysts said.
“The entire handling of the restart has been reduced to a farce, causing pain for airlines, airports, and passengers,” said an industry executive on condition of anonymity.
IndiGo had planned to start with about 430 daily flights while its low-cost rival SpiceJet said it would operate 204 flights a day and AirAsia India would start with 77 flights.
The final number could be much lower as some states, especially where coronavirus cases are rising, have curtailed air travel following relaxations that last Thursday allowed some domestic operations to resume.
IndiGo said on Monday it plans to fly just over 200 daily flights until May 31.
Potential travellers are also likely to be deterred by a lack of clarity on quarantine rules in different states.
“It’s unfortunate there was no effective coordination between the states and central government. Each state has come out with its own rules, which is confusing and will compel only a few to fly,” aviation law expert Nitin Sarin, a managing partner at Sarin & Co, said.