The average number of daily domestic flight passengers fell for the week ending on 3 April from the week before following the sharp increase in covid-19 cases and the resultant travel restrictions imposed by several states. This is the second consecutive week that domestic passenger numbers have fallen after the drastic rise in the number of infections.
Average daily domestic flight passengers stood at 239,000 for the week ending 3 April, compared with 251,000 in the week ending 27 March, according to a report by ICICI Securities released on Monday. Average daily domestic flight passengers stood at 257,000 in the week ending 20 March.
“The number of fliers per departure declined to 104 (in the week ending on 3 April) from 109 ( in the week ending on 27 March) in the respective weeks,” the report said.
Rising covid cases remain an overhang on air traffic, it said.
Daily air passenger traffic saw some recovery in the last three days of the week ending 3 April as total traffic reported on 1 April was 253,000, while on 2 April and 3 April it was it was 259,000 and 254,000 respectively, the report said.
Meanwhile, the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) has recently pulled up airport operators for not complying with covid-19 protocols. The aviation regulator also told airports to consider imposing spot fines, with the help of police, on passengers who are found not wearing masks properly.
India has recorded 103,558 fresh infections in the last 24 hours , led by a massive spike in the pandemic in Maharashtra, which added a record 57,074 fresh cases. This has taken the cumulative tally to 12,589,067, said the Union health ministry on Monday.
India’s previous daily high in cases was 97,894, hit in mid-September and after which infections had come down sharply.
