India sees highest number of single-day passengers

India recorded the highest number of passengers onboard flights in a single day on 28 February, since the domestic flights resumed in the country in May. Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said, number of domestic passengers on 28th February rose to 3 lakh 13 thousand 668 on 2,353 flights.

India had suspended all the flight operations in the March, 2020 to curb the COVID-19 spread. After a gap of two months, the domestic flight operations resumed in May following the stringent measures.

To bring back the stranded Indians from across the world, the Central government started Vande Bharat Mission in May, 2020. Air India and several other private domestic airlines IndiGo and SpiceJet have been operating flights under Vande Bharat Mission since then. Over 5.5 million have returned to India from different countries under the mission, the civil aviation minister said. India has created travel bubble with over 25 countries like United States, Germany and France.

The civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last week extended the suspension of all international flight operations in the country till 31 March, 2021. However, the restrictions will not be applicable on international air cargo operations and flights specially approved by DGCA. International scheduled flights may be allowed on select routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis.