Domestic flights begin returning to the skies in Asia amid Covid-19 pandemic

A spate of domestic flight routes slowly opening up in Asia and the Pacific give clues into what the aviation industry could look like in the weeks and months ahead. China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia are among the countries set to resume or increase domestic flights as the virus wanes. That said, don't book your summer vacation just yet. Many of these flights are government subsidized and solely for the purpose of transporting cargo. Though some are open to public bookings, others will only issue tickets to emergency personnel or essential workers who need to get around. Think of these flights as a dress rehearsal for a gradual re-upping of the aviation industry. AirAsia is one of the airlines ramping up their flight schedule. They restarted domestic flights in Malaysia on April 29 and their affiliates will be adding Thailand (May 1), India (May 4), Indonesia (May 7), and the Philippines (May 16) to their roster barring any government issues. Meanwhile, Qantas has resumed some domestic flights between major cities in Australia, with the caveat that these are part of the "minimum domestic and regional network" underwritten by the national government. Currently, these flights are reserved for emergency personnel and private citizens cannot purchase tickets. In Thailand, some low-cost airlines announced they will resume domestic flights from May 1 following a temporary suspension. In Vietnam, domestic flights are being run by VietJet, Bamboo Airways and Jetstar. <br/>