INDIAN AIRLINE INDUSTRY IN DISTRESS

Unless the Government of India steps in and extends timely and unmitigated financial support the airline industry may find it difficult to survive

- AIR MARSHAL B.K. PANDEY (RETD)

THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19), WAS FIRST detected in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province of China. Since then, the virus has spread rapidly turning into a pandemic that has been raging across the globe with no sign of abatement as yet. India too has been affected badly forcing the government to resort to a nationwide lockdown on March 22, 2020 followed by an extended lockdown for 21 days from March 25 to April 14 and once again up to May 3 this year . As compared with the other types of viruses that have been periodically affecting the nation over the years, the widespread infection by COVID-19 and the rate at which the number of persons affected by this virus is increasing, it does not appear possible to predict as to when this menace will be brought under control and normalcy to life that has been totally disrupted, would be restored. As of now, it appears that even after May 3, if not a total lockdown, the government may be compelled to impose restrictions in areas that have been severely affected by this virus. Such areas have been described as “Hotspots”.