New Delhi, March 16 (IANS). Due to the ongoing tension in West Asia, Indian and foreign airlines have canceled thousands of flights. This information was given by Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Speaking on the sixth day of the ongoing budget session of Parliament, the minister said Indian airlines have canceled more than 4,335 flights, while foreign airlines have canceled around 1,187 flights.
The minister said that the safety of passengers is the biggest priority of the government and airlines. He said that when the airspace of a conflict affected area is closed, it is not possible to operate flights there.
He said, “Indian airlines have canceled 4,335 flights and foreign airlines have canceled 1,187 flights. We have to take care of safety first. If the airspace of any area is closed then there is no question of running flights there.”
Although the situation in West Asia has affected flights, still a large number of passengers have traveled during this period. According to the minister, around 2,19,780 passengers traveled by air even during the tension.
Rammohan Naidu said that India’s aviation regulator ‘Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)’ and the Civil Aviation Ministry are in constant touch with the officials of the affected areas to keep an eye on the situation.
He said that flight services will be able to resume normally only when the airspace of those areas reopens, as restrictions are still in place in many areas.
Meanwhile, last week, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Muralidhar Mohol had said that currently more than 11,000 pilots are working in major domestic airlines in India, including about 1,900 women pilots.
He had told in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on March 12 that a total of 11,394 pilots are employed in Indian Airlines, of which 1,871 are women pilots.
–IANS
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