New Delhi, April 3: National Carrier Air India on Friday shut its ticket booking window till April 30 amid coronavirus lockdown. The bookings were closed for all domestic and international routes. Air India said that it would review the decision once situation improves in India post COVID-19 shut down. All domestic and international flights were suspended in the country during the lockdown to avoid the spread of coronavirus. Air India Crew, Who Operated Flights to Coronavirus-Hit Countries to Rescue Stranded Indians, Complain of Substandard Protective Gear, Lack of Sanitizers.

“We have stopped taking bookings from today [April 3] till April 30. This is just a precautionary step. We will review this as soon as there is more clarity with respect to the lockdown period,” reported CNBC TV18 quoting an official of Air India. On April 2, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that airlines could take domestic bookings after 14 April, unless the lockdown is extended further. He advised the airlines to keep a contingency plan in place in case the government decided to extend the lockdown. Air India Crew Member, Who Was Onboard Evacuation Flight Between Mumbai and Newark, Tests Positive For Coronavirus.

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According to reports, after all the domestic flights were suspended on March 25, airlines started issuing credit points equivalent to the booking fare instead of refunding the money. These credit points could be used by passengers to book tickets for a later date. Air India also issued credit points to passengers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 24 announced a 21-day lockdown in India to contain the spread of the deadly virus. Train and bus services were also suspended during the shutdown. There will be complete lockdown in India till April 14.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 03, 2020 10:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).