DGCA approves 25,309 flights per week for this year's summer schedule

Representative Image

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has approved 25,309 departures per week for this year's summer schedule which begins on the last Sunday of March and ends on the last Sunday of October.

This comes just a few days after, the Civil Aviation Ministry approved the resumption of regular international flights from the beginning of this year's summer schedule, as well.

As compared to the summer schedule of 2020, which was pre-COVID-19, there has been a growth of 3.7 percent departures this time.

Last year, the DGCA had approved 18,843 flights per week, keeping in mind that airlines were permitted to operate not more than 80 percent of their pre-COVID flights.

This summer schedule, GoAir has been allowed to operate 2,557 flights, Indigo has been allowed for 11,130 flights, SpiceJet for 4,192 flights and Air India for 2,456 flights this summer schedule. All airlines, except Spicejet, will be operating more flights this time, as compared to the summer schedule of 2020. Spicejet will be flying 0.4 percent fewer flights this time.

Here's a detailed breakup of all the flights operating this summer schedule : 

(Image: DGCA)

On March 8, the Civil Aviation Ministry had announced that it will resume regular international flight operations from March 27. The ministry further added that international operations shall be subject to strict adherence to Ministry of Health guidelines for international travel.

The Scheduled international flight services have remained suspended in India since March 23, 2020. However, special international flights have been operating between India and about 35 other countries since July 2020 under air bubble arrangements.

India currently has air transport bubbles with 40 countries, including Canada, France, Germany, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the US.