Domestic air travel bookings pick up pace

Air travel bookings in India have gathered pace amid the festive season, offering hopes of a full revival for the sector battered by the pandemic.

Airlines, however, remain cautious of a potential third wave of Covid-19, mindful of the severe dent to business during May and June this year when the second wave erased gains made in the months before.

Domestic passenger traffic improved to about 4.52 million in the first three weeks of August, up from 3.31 million, 1.91 million and 1.41 million passengers in the same period during July, June and May, respectively, according to data collated by aviation website NetworkThoughts.