New Delhi: Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday announced that domestic civil aviation will resume operations in a calibrated manner from Monday 25th May 2020. "All airports and air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from 25th May," Puri said.

Ever since the imposition of the nationwide lockdown in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the country on March 25, passenger air services were suspended for both scheduled domestic and international flights.

"Domestic civil aviation operations will recommence in a calibrated manner from Monday 25th May 2020. All airports and air carriers are being informed to be ready for operations from 25th May," tweeted Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri.


According to the minister, special operating procedures (SOPs) for passenger movement are being separately issued.

The development comes a day after Puri had said that it is not only up to the Central government to decide on the resumption of domestic flights, as states will also have to be ready to allow civil aviation operations.

Last week, Airports Authority of India (AAI) anticipated possible resumption of domestic flights for which it issued fresh rules and guidelines which need to be followed by each passenger while travelling through air.

According to the notice issued by the authority, the passenger will have to mandatorily follow these guidelines which include a web-check in and carrying a print out of their boarding pass before heading to the airport to catch a flight.

Travellers must maintain a distance of four feet from co-passengers. Moreover, Flyers have to wear a mask and other protective gear.

On Sunday, after the Ministry of Home Affairs' decision to extend the lockdown till May 31, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had said that it will suitably inform the airlines about flights resumption in due course.

In its guideline for the fourth phase of lockdown, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had 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.