Air India on Monday canceled the leaves of pilots with an immediate effect amid an increasing number of domestic air travelers. Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic that caused large-scale disruptions, domestic flight services have been suspended for 2 months from March 25 the last yr. After resumption on May 25, 2020, air traffic has been on the rise.
Based on internal communication, all leaves for the cockpit crew stand withdrawn with an immediate effect. However, the communication noted that leaves may be granted in extreme cases on a case-to-case basis, depending upon the urgency of the situation. The communication didn’t mention any specific reasons for the decision to cancel the leaves.
Query sent to an Air India spokesperson remained unanswered. Last month, the civil aviation ministry stated the number of domestic flights that Indian airlines are permitted to operate will remain at 80 per cent of their pre-COVID levels until March 31 or until the summer schedule begins.
In a statement on Monday, the ministry said 3,13,668 domestic passengers were flown by airlines on February 28, the highest number since the resumption of local flights on May 25, 2020. “Total flight movements on February 28, 2021, were 4,699. The total number of footfalls on airports was 6,17,824,” it stated.
Scheduled international commercial flights continue to remain suspended, while abroad flights under air bubble agreements and the Vande Bharat Mission are operational, among others.
