The Civil Aviation Ministry has permitted airlines to extend the cap of 60 percent on domestic flights till February 24 due to the prevailing coronavirus situation. The ministry had informed the airlines about the 60 percent limit through an official order on September 2 but it had not told them the period for which the cap would remain in place.

On October 29, the ministry issued a new order clarifying that the September 2 order "shall remain in force until 2359 hrs on February 24, 2021 or until further orders" due to the "prevailing situation of Covid-19". On June 26, the ministry had allowed the airlines to operate a maximum of 45 percent of their pre-Covid domestic flights.

The ministry had resumed domestic passenger services from May 25, after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. However, the airlines were permitted to operate not more than 33 percent of their pre-Covid domestic flights. Amending its previous order of June 26 where it had put the 45 percent limit on the number of domestic flights, the ministry issued an order on September 2 stating that, "45 percent capacity may be read as 60 percent capacity." Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in the country since March 23 due to the pandemic. However, special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral air bubble pacts signed with various countries since July.

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