Impact of coronavirus has reached every part of the world. Businesses have taken a considerable hit and economies are falling. Amongst such business industries, the aviation industry in India has probably taken the worst blow. Indian aviation was still struggling with only one airline (IndiGo), making profits every quarter consistently when the Government imposed the lockdown. The three-week lockdown means that there can’t be any commercial airline activity, and this has hurt the revenues and cash flows of the airlines severely. Ban on flying activity means there is no cash inflow, but there are still substantial cash outflows in terms of fixed costs for the aviation industry.
Top 6 Airports Of India Flooded With Aircraft
It is reported that the ban on flying has resulted in 80% of the aircraft being parked at the top 6 airports of India. There are more than 600 registered commercial aircraft in India sitting idle at the moment. A senior official of AAI (Airports Authority of India) said that while these are many aircraft, AAI can easily manage the parking of more. New Delhi and Mumbai airport have most of these aircraft parked.
Parking Fee For The Airlines An Issue
The airlines will have to pay the parking fees at the airports. The Government has not said anything about waiving off the parking charges till now. This will further add to the cash crunch in the aviation industry. This ban on flying is the worst thing that could have come for the airlines, and the Government doesn’t seem to be helping at the moment. All the other countries have sought out a bailout package for their airlines, but the Indian Government is yet to present such aid for the Indian aviation industry. Tax rebates, waiver of parking fees and loan guarantee is something airlines can benefit from at the moment.
