Not up to Centre alone to resume domestic flights: Puri

New Delhi, May 19 (IANS) Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday said that it is not only up to the Central government to decide on resumption of domestic flights, as states will also have to be ready to allow civil aviation operations.

The statement comes just days after the lockdown has been extended till May 31 and the suspension on both scheduled domestic and international flights have been extended for the period.

“It is not upto @MoCA_GoI or centre alone to decide on resuming domestic flights. In the spirit of cooperative federalism, the govt of states where these flights will take off & land should be ready to allowcivil aviation operations,” Puri tweeted on Tuesday.

On Sunday after the Ministry of Home Affairs’ decision to extend the lockdown, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said it will suitably inform airlines on flights resumption in due course.

In its guideline for the fourth phase of lockdown till May 31, the MHA said that all domestic and international air travel of passengers will be prohibited, except for domestic medical services, domestic air ambulance and for security purposes.

All scheduled commercial flights have been suspended since March 25.

–IANS

rrb/sn/vd