Private airlines continue to take bookings for travel from May 4

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri’s advice to airlines on Twitter, asking them to open bookings only after a decision in this regard is taken by the Centre, is unlikely to cut much ice with the private airlines.

This means flyers face uncertainties about flight operations although some airlines have started taking bookings for travel from May 4. For instance, the IndiGo and SpiceJet websites show that they are taking bookings on select routes such as Delhi-Bengaluru-Delhi (IndiGo) and Chennai-Delhi-Chennai (SpiceJet).

A Vistara spokesperson said it had suspended operations and sales until May 3, following the last circular. “Once there is clarity on steps to take beyond the date, we will comply accordingly,” the spokesperson added.

The exception seems to be Air India, which closed bookings for some domestic flights soon after the Minister’s tweet late on Saturday night.

Insufficient time

There are many reasons why the private airlines are unlikely to pay heed to Puri’s advice. A former official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) told BusinessLine that under normal circumstances air travel bookings remain open 365 days a year.

“To fill a particular flight, airlines have to be given a reasonable time period, which may be 15-30 days. Under the current situation, airlines will be struggling to get bookings because people will be afraid to travel and (due to) social distancing restrictions on flights,” the former DGCA official pointed out. If the Ministry decides to open domestic air travel on May 4 and tells airlines to start bookings only from that day, it is quite possible that operations will resume only in the third or last week of May due to poor demand, the official added.

Retired DGCA officials were of the view that while the Aviation Ministry might ask the DGCA to take action against the airlines, such action could be on “a weak wicket” as there are hardly any laws as far as bookings are concerned. They added that DGCA officials will be in a bind as they will have to look hard to find the rule under which they can take action against the airlines.

Officials pointed to an earlier instance when, under citing an air transport circular, the DGCA tried to get airlines to look the other way if a passenger was carrying 3-4 kg of excess baggage. “Airlines went to court and the DGCA’s plea was rejected,” a former official recalled.

Confusion reigns

Domestic airline executives, meanwhile, say they do not know what to make of Puri’s tweet.

“We will be having a discussion later on this but for now there are unknowns on when we can resume and whether we can go by the circular from the Ministry, which mentions that all flights are cancelled till 3 May,” said a senior private airline official who did not want to be identified. The Ministry had issued a circular on April 16 asking airlines to refund the tickets booked during the extended lockdown period. It had asked the DGCA to implement this circular though airlines have been telling flyers seeking refunds that they are still studying the circular.

“No clarity...it’s very confusing,” said another official of a private airline when asked what he thought about the circular and the Minister’s advice.

A senior airline executive said even if the Ministry sends out a letter asking airlines to adhere to the Minister’s advice, they are likely to fight it tooth and nail. An earlier letter sent by the Joint Secretary in the Ministry asking airlines to refund tickets booked during the lockdown is yet to be implemented, the executive pointed out.

The widely held view in the industry is that the airlines are also likely to resist any government directive on refunds and when to start taking bookings. This is because while their operations have been completely grounded, unlike other countries, there has been no financial relief or support from the government despite multiple representations.

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