In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for a ‘Janta Curfew’ on Sunday, majority of airlines have announced that they will be curtailing their operations on March 22.

IndiGo announced on Friday that it will be operating only 60 per cent of its domestic flights on Sunday. On the hand, GoAir and Vistara said they will be curtailing their domestic operations on Sunday when ‘Janta curfew’ would be in force.

Advertisement

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged citizens to observe Janta curfew by not going out of their homes from 7 am to 9 am on Sunday amid novel coronavirus pandemic.

While this Sunday will witness near empty skies, these carriers are also cutting down their capacities to stay in line with the plunging demand caused by the pandemic.

“Going forward, responding to the various travel restrictions imposed worldwide, most of our international flights are suspended and additionally, given the reduction in domestic demand, we are trimming our domestic India operations by approximately 25 per cent for now,” Indigo said in a statement.

Similarly, a Vistara spokesperson said that the airline “will operate on a reduced network on Sunday, 22 March on account of Janta curfew. Passengers who have been affected by cancellations will be contacted soon,” said the airline’s spokesperson.

Keeping up with the wind, state-run Air India has also decided to review its flight schedule by clubbing or curtailing its flights.

(With input from agencies)