Mysore/Mysuru: With the aviation industry being one of the most affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, they are slowly coming back to rule the skies, but with limited destinations. Flights are operating from Mysore Airport at Mandakalli stage-by-stage. 

Air traffic bottomed out as the second wave of the virus struck and now airlines have also seen ticket bookings increasing, hopefully kicking off another recovery for the beleaguered industry. From Mysuru, TruJet, Alliance Air and Indigo have started operating flights and encouragingly, there is 40 to 45 percent occupancy. 

Also, as the lockdown has been relaxed at destinations, it has become easy for the operators to design a schedule. Flights to Goa, Kochi and Bengaluru have started already and in the Goa-Hyderabad sector alternate day flights are being operated. 

Speaking to Star of Mysore,  Mysore Airport Director R. Manjunath said that from July 1, Mysuru-Chennai sector will be opened up and TruJet is making preparations in this regard. “Once the lockdown is eased, we will operate more flights and also as planned before the pandemic, more new destinations will be added to the Mysuru flight map,” he said. 

Flight frequency and occupation rates will pick up once the IT sector too opens along with the tourism sector where more and more people travel to religious destinations, Manjunath added. 

Flight meal system

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry has regulated in-flight meal distribution norms. Airlines that have a duration of fewer than 2 hours will not serve meals to their passengers. Since last year, after airlines resumed service post the lockdown and they were allowed to serve meals to passengers with some conditions and health guidelines. The Ministry modified this with the new order. 

The fresh directive goes as, “The airlines, operating flights on domestic sectors, may provide meals services on board, where the in-flight duration is two hours or more”. The Ministry stated it has decided to review the on-board meal services in domestic flights considering “the increasing threat of COVID-19 and its variants.”