Coronavirus impact: Daily int'l passenger arrivals falls to 62,000

The number of international passengers arriving at the country's airports has reduced to around 62,000 per day from 70,000 in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

He said the count might further come down to around 40,000 following the travel advisory issued on Wednesday.

There are 30 international airports in the country and on an average, these aerodromes receive about 70,000 international passengers.

On an average, something like 70,000 passengers come to different airports in the country.

"Since the issue of coronavirus has started, this number has come down from 70,000 to 62,000 or so... with the travel advisory that we have issued yesterday, it is my expectation that it has come down a little from 60,000 to 40,000, and may come down even further," he said.

On Wednesday, the government decided to suspend all tourist visas as part of efforts to tackle coronavirus outbreak.

The Minister of State for Civil Aviation said that every international passenger is screened at airports.

According to him, the screening procedures are completely separate.

"The baggage of those who are coming in from those affected countries is also separately treated. So, that is a major prevention measure so that you do not allow the passengers, who are normal, who may not have the symptoms," he added.

Besides, Puri said the ministry does not allow any carrier to take a slot and then not utilise it.

"There are prescribed rules and procedures to ensure that... if for some reason any carrier which has been allotted a slot is not in a position to utilise it, that will show up and we will rationalise it. This is both in terms of domestic routes as well as our traffic on international routes," he noted.

Responding to a query about charges being levied by passengers at airports, the minister said he has told airport operators to constantly review the charges.