Domestic air travel down by 20%: Puri

Tribune news Service

New Delhi, March 17

Domestic air travel is down by 20 to 30 per cent due to Covid-19, the government said in Lok Sabha.

Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Civil Aviation Hardeep Puri said while replying to discussion on ‘the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020, said the International Air Transport Association estimates that global losses to airlines would be between $63 billion and $113 billion due to flight cancellations due to Covid-19. Puri said we would not be immune to this virus on the economic front.

Suggestions have come from airlines, including 30-day credit of payment to oil companies. It will be everyone’s interest to keep in mind the viability of airlines, Puri said with caution. India, he said, has the third largest domestic network. Some 700 planes are in the network and the numbers could go up to 2000 planes in a few years.

Speaking on the issue of bringing aviation turbine fuel under GST, Puri said it comprised 40 per cent of operating costs. Ideally the ATF should be de-coupled from taxation of petrol and diesel.