The Government-imposed upper and lower limits on airfares may be extended beyond August 24 depending upon how the situation turns out, Aviation Secretary PS Kharola said on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference along with Kharola, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the Government will start thinking on resumption of international passenger flights in mid-July when it expects the domestic air traffic to reach 50-55 per cent of pre-COVID levels.

 The Minister also said that all 650 commercial aircraft that are in India will start flying and operating flights by the end of the year. The Govt resumed domestic passenger flights from May 25 after nearly two months of suspension to combat the coronavirus outbreak, but placed lower and upper limits on airfares depending upon the flight duration.  It had said on May 21 that these limits would be in place for a period of  3 months.

 “Depending on how the situation turns out, the fare band may have to adjusted beyond that (Aug 24) also. But right now, it is only for three months,” Kharola said at the press conference here.  On May 21, the aviation regulator DGCA issued the Govt-decided fare limits for these bands - domestic flights with less than 40-min duration to have lower and upper limits of Rs 2,000 and Rs  6,000, for 40-60 min Rs 2,500 and Rs 7,500, for 60-90 min Rs 3,000 and Rs 9,000, for 90-120 minutes Rs 3,500 and Rs 10,000, for 120-150 minutes Rs 4,500 and Rs 13,000, and for 150-180 minutes Rs 5,500 and Rs 15,700.

 International passenger flights continue to remain suspended in the country. However, the Govt started Vande Bharat Mission on May 6 to help stranded people reach their destinations through special flights.