Airlines "Financially Stressed" Due To Pandemic, MP Tells Parliament

Airlines are financially stressed due to COVID-19 and need support from the government, said Nationalist Congress Party MP Praful Patel today.

"We have to help the aviation sector. Airlines are financially stressed due to COVID-19 and need support," said former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel during a discussion on Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020 in the Rajya Sabha.

Stating the importance of civil aviation sector in the country, he said: "Four to five per cent people of the country board flights one time in a year. If this number goes up to 10-15 per cent, we would need a huge increase in the number of airports and aircraft."

The monsoon session of Parliament started from Monday with several precautionary measures due to the coronavirus pandemic. The session is expected to conclude on October 1.

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