Though IndiGo has announced the operation of its flights on the Hyderabad-Visakhapatnam-Hyderabad, Bengaluru-Visakhapatnam-Bengaluru and Chennai-Visakhapatnam-Chennai sectors with effect from April 15, their operation or otherwise will depend on the lifting/continuation of the lockdown being implemented in view of COVID-19.
IndiGo launched bookings for its flights long ago. The airport is operational but operation of flights will be dependent on the decision of the Centre, airport director M. Raja Kishore said.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to make an announcement on the lockdown on Tuesday (April 14).
“The bookings for the flights from Vizag to Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai are full. The bookings for via flights to Delhi and Mumbai are also full. This is despite the fact that the passenger will have to suffer a heavy loss if the flights are cancelled due to the lockdown,” P. Muralikrishna, MD of Travel IQ told The Hindu.
Two options
“The airline has given two options to passengers, if the flights are cancelled for any reason. “If the passengers wants to cancel his/her ticket, instead of postponing his journey, he/she will have to forego ₹3,500 per sector. That is, for a ticket for a via flight from Vizag to Mumbai or Delhi, the passenger will have to forego ₹7,000 per ticket,” he says.
“The second is the ‘wallet’ option, the passenger will be allowed to retain the amount in the IndiGo wallet for one year. The booked passenger can travel on the same sector within one year. No change in the sector or transfer of ticket will be permissible.”
“On a positive note for travel agents, prospective flyers are preferring us instead of online booking. The online portals are not clarifying the doubts of the passengers. We inform them of the cancellation rules and this gives them a sense of reassurance,” Mr. Muralikrishna said.
