AAI says 32 airports to resume operations, airlines issue travel advisories

Mumbai, May 12 (PTI) Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Monday announced that civilian flight operations will resume at 32 airports that were temporarily shut last week in view of the military standoff between India and Pakistan.

Airlines, including Air India, AirIndia Express, IndiGo and SpiceJet, issued travel advisories/ updates to their customers following the opening of the civil flight operations from these 32 airports.

In a statement on Monday, state-owned AAI said the 32 airports that were closed for civilian aircraft operations till 0529 hours of May 15 are now available for operations with immediate effect. "It is recommended for travellers to check flight status directly with Airlines and monitor airlines' websites for regular updates," the statement said.

Civilian flight operations from the 32 airports across northern and western India, including Srinagar and Amritsar, were suspended from May 9 to May 15. The AAI along with other aviation authorities had issued a series of Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs), announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports across northern and western India for all civilian flight operations.

Security measures were enhanced, and at least 32 airports in northern and western parts of the country were temporarily shut in view of the conflict between India and Pakistan. On Saturday, India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea with immediate effect.

Air India in a statement on Monday said, "Air India will progressively resume flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh and Rajkot starting Tuesday, May 13." It also said that bookings for these sectors are now open.

Air India Express, in a statement, said it "will gradually reinstate flight operations from previously closed airports, following the lifting of NOTAMS by the authorities." Starting Tuesday, services will resume on routes including Hindon-Bengaluru, Jammu-Delhi, Jammu-Srinagar, and Srinagar-Delhi, it added.

Operations on Hindon-Mumbai are planned to resume the day after, AirIndia Express said, adding the reinstatement of other flights, including international services from Amritsar, is expected to follow from May 15..

"Following the government directives, the recently closed airports are now available for airlines operations," IndiGo said in a statement.

The Gurugram-based airline also said it has reopened its flight bookings and resumed operations starting May 12, progressively on select routes, beginning with Delhi - Chandigarh, Delhi - Jammu - Delhi and Delhi - Amritsar - Delhi.

Over the course of the next few days, more flights will resume gradually across the network, IndiGo said.

Meanwhile, SpiceJet in a travel update said, "flight restrictions to/from Leh, Srinagar, Jammu, Dharamshala, Kandla & Amritsar have been lifted." "Flights will resume soon," the airline added. PTI IAS RAM MR

Source: PTI