Air India stops bookings after aviation minister’s advice

NEW DELHI: Air India has stopped taking bookings on all flights, said its officials, a day after Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri “advised” airlines to open bookings only after the government takes a decision on resuming passenger flights.

The minister’s comment came on Saturday night, hours after the national carrier stated that it has opened bookings on select domestic flights from May 4 and on select international flights from June 1.

Amid the second phase of the coronavirus-induced lockdown, Air India officials said on Sunday: “We have stopped all forward bookings now. Any passenger who has booked tickets on a flight, which has been cancelled, would be getting a credit voucher for future travel.”