Different rules in every state are confusing passengers

After travel restrictions were lifted from May 25, most of the passengers are those who are flying back home or those have exigent issues. Business travellers and leisure travellers are still uncertain. The CEO of IndiGo, Ronojoy Dutta said that the uncertainty of restrictions is one of the reasons that have led to the dampening for traffic.

The CEO and Director of aviation consultancy firm CAPA South Asia, Kapil Kaul said, “Demand is lower than expected largely due to the confusion and uncertainty at the state level regarding resumption, quarantine rules and continuing escalation in the infections. The expected pent-up demand has not been fully realized largely due to the confusion, which may be settling now.”

The number of cancellation inquiries has increased

Goa, Karnataka and Delhi have tightened the checking procedures after 30 passengers, who were asymptomatic, were tested positive after landing in the first seven days when air travel resumed. Delhi had earlier just advised travellers to home quarantine themselves for a week after arrival, but now it has been made mandatory. Goa Government has also changed the SOP twice. Kerala allows business travellers to stay up to seven days in the if they have a COVID-19 negative test result done within 2 days of their arrival in the state.

According to an executive at an online travel agency, the number of cancellation inquiries to places like Goa, Bengaluru , Delhi, etc has increased. He also added that these enquires are mainly from business travellers, who don’t want to spend seven days staying in quarantine for 2 days of work.

The aviation industry is banking on people going home

Ronojoy Dutta also added to his above mentioned statement that there is a dampening effect on the revenue and that there is a strong sense of fear in the customers in regards to air travel. Due to the lockdown and sudden downfall in economy also stand between passengers and air travel. Then the different restriction rules by each state have also caused huge confusion. Checking the rules for each state before planning the trip is a task for travellers, which is also dampening the demand.

The aviation industry is banking on people going home, or going to visit friends and relatives – the VFR category. Dutta said that the VFR traffic will increase the demand growth. However Kapil Kaul told the news that the demand will be affected till the threat of the pandemic doesn’t go down.