DGCA allows airlines 13,000 flights in winter, 44% lower than last year

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said it has approved 12,983 weekly domestic flights of airlines for the winter schedule that begins on Sunday and ends on March 27 next year.

In last year's winter schedule, the aviation regulator had approved 23,307 weekly domestic flights.

The DGCA said on Sunday it has approved 6,006 weekly domestic flights of IndiGo for this year's winter schedule. IndiGo is India's largest airline.

SpiceJet and GoAir have got 1,957 weekly domestic flights and 1,203 weekly domestic flights approved, the regulator said.

Currently, airlines in India are allowed to operate a maximum 60 per cent of pre-Covid weekly domestic flights.

In comparison to last year's winter schedule, when 23,307 weekly domestic services were approved by the DGCA, this year's winter schedule has got just 55.7 per cent (12,983 flights) of those flights approved, according to the aviation regulator.

These 55.7 per cent flights will be operating from 95 Indian airports between October 25 and March 27, 2021, the DGCA said.

India resumed scheduled domestic flights on May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus pandemic. At that time, airlines were permitted to operate just 33 per cent of their pre-Covid domestic flights. This figure was gradually increased in the later months.