COVID-19: DGCA Suspends Domestic & Int’l Air Travel Till 14 April

DGCA has extended the ban on international passenger flights till 14 April. Representational Image.

(Photo: Xinhua/Ting Shen/IANS)

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday, 27 March, said that the restrictions on all domestic flights operating in the country have been extended till 14 April, in the wake of a national lockdown to tackle the novel coronavirus pandemic.

DGCA’s announcement comes a day after all international commercial passenger flights too were suspended till 14 April.

The DGCA on 19 March had announced that no international commercial passenger flight operations will take place in India from 1:30 am on 23 March to 5:30 am on 29 March.

“In continuation of circular-II dated 19.3.2020 issued on the subject cited-above, it has been decided that all scheduled international commercial passenger services shall remain closed till 1830 hrs GMT (0000 hrs of Indian Standard Time) of 14 April, 2020.”

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)

"However, this restriction will not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the DGCA," it said.

The government suspended domestic passenger flight operations from midnight on 24 March.

There are over 700 coronavirus positive cases in the country and at lease 16 people have died, according to the Union health ministry.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a complete lockdown across the country for 21 days from Tuesday midnight, asserting that this is necessary for a decisive battle against the coronavirus.