VIJAYAWADA/VISAKHAPATNAM/KAKINADA: Even though Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri officially declared that there would be no domestic flight operations at any of the airports in Andhra Pradesh, a flight from Chennai International Airport landed at the Rajamahendravaram Airport around 5.15 pm on Monday. While 37 passengers arrived in Rajahmahendravaram, 45 left for Chennai.
IndiGo flight 6E-7125 departed from Chennai around 3.30 pm and landed at 5.15 pm. Flight 6E-7124, operated by the same airline, departed for Chennai around 5.40 pm.

When questioned, special officer for handling domestic flights Karikal Valaven said, “I do not know how the information was passed on, but this flight to and from Rajamahendravaram was operated by the airline. Other flights were cancelled as airlines had informed the respective airport directors that they cannot operate flights as only few people had booked tickets. All arrangements were made and all airports were ready for operations. The last-minute cancellation of flights by airlines may have led to this confusion.”

Puri on Sunday tweeted, “It has been a long day of hard negotiations with various state govts to recommence civil aviation operations in the country. Except Andhra Pradesh which will start on 26/5 & West Bengal on 28/5, domestic flights will recommence across the country from tomorrow.”

As the district administration had made arrangements to handle passengers, those who arrived were shifted to a quarantine centre at Bommuru.

Meanwhile, flight services will resume from Vizag and Vijayawada on Tuesday. Four to-and-fro services will be operated from Vijayawada while two airlines confirmed that they would operate flights from Visakhapatnam.

Visakhapatnam airport officials said two airlines have come forward to operate flights to Bengaluru. Some airlines are also scheduled to operate flights to and from Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad. Passengers who arrive in Vizag will be given two quarantine options — paid and state quarantine.

Where you can fly today

From Vijayawada
 Bengaluru
 Chennai
 New Delhi
 Bengaluru

From Vizag
 Bengaluru
 Hyderabad
 Delhi

From Rajahmundry
 Hyderabad