Covid second wave: Airlines seek financial assistance from govt

15 Apr 2021 CW Staff

Airline companies in India have asked the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) to reduce the capacity allowed from 80% of pre-Covid to 60% and have also sought financial assistance as the second wave of Covid infections have hit the aviation industry hard.

A government official told a prominent media source that such a financial bailout packet for the aviation industry was highly unlikely.

The government had allowed Indian airlines to operate up to 80% of the pre-Covid capacity and was mulling further, increasing it with the number of passengers reaching close to 80% of pre-Covid in February.

While other airliners seek financial assistance from the government, IndiGo Airlines has not requested any such assistance.

Although airlines were headed back to pre-Covid levels until recently, with the second wave, things have gone back to square one, and the total domestic passenger count declined to as low as 201,000 on Monday, which is a decline of 35,000 passengers in a day. The airline sector had reached the levels of ferrying over 300,000 passengers in a day.

As cases have started to increase again, various states and union territories, including Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Odisha, Gujarat and Rajasthan, have mandated Covid-negative tests for passengers. States like Assam, Bihar and Punjab are conducting random checks on arriving passengers. Some states have also announced night curfew and weekend lockdowns, leading to passengers cancelling their trips.

According to the media, airlines are reporting a 20-50% decline in flight bookings and air travel amid a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases.

The second wave of the infection has come at a time when domestic airlines had started to see a surge in demand after the slump following the outbreak of the pandemic last year.

Image Source

Also read: Covid impact: Kolkata airport’s expansion project halted

Infrastructure Urban

06 Apr 2026

InsideFPV Delivers ₹10 Crore Kamikaze Drone Order Under MoD’s EPR Route

InsideFPV, a Surat-based drone technology manufacturer, has successfully executed a ₹10 crore defence contract to supply indigenous kamikaze drones under the Ministry of Defence’s Emergency Procurement Route (EPR). The company completed the delivery of hundreds of FPV kamikaze drone platforms within a rapid two-month timeframe, highlighting its ability to meet urgent military procurement timelines.The supply orders were fulfilled under the emergency procurement mechanism, which is aimed at fast-tracking acquisitions for immediate operational needs. InsideFPV’s quick execution reflects it..

Vedanta Resources Secures Fitch Upgrade to ‘BB-’, Best Rating Since 2015

Vedanta Resources Limited (VRL), a global player in metals, oil & gas, critical minerals, power and technology, has received a credit rating upgrade from Fitch Ratings, marking its strongest bond rating in over a decade.Fitch has raised Vedanta Resources’ Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘BB-’ from ‘B+’, while maintaining a Stable Outlook. The agency also upgraded VRL’s senior unsecured rating, along with the ratings of US dollar-denominated bonds issued by Vedanta Resources Finance II Plc and guaranteed by VRL, to ‘BB-’.The upgrade represents Vedan..

NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter Launched

The NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter was recently launched at Excelerate 2026 in Mumbai, marking a key step towards integrating emerging real estate leaders from the National Capital Region with the national platform. The initiative aims to promote sustainable and responsible urban development through collaboration and knowledge exchange.The event brought together young developers, entrepreneurs, and professionals from across NCR, including Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bhiwadi, and Meerut. Discussions focused on urban development, finance, sustainability, innovation, and policy, emphasisi..