In a sign that domestic travel restrictions may be lifted in December, Golden Myanmar Airlines has released its flight schedule to travel agencies.
The airline plans to run regular commercial flights from Yangon to Sittwe, Mandalay and Heho Airport in Shan State as well as Mandalay to Tachileik and Myitkyina from December 1 to 31.
But the government is yet to lift nationwide travel restrictions, which were imposed to stem the spread of Covid-19. Stay-at-home orders also officially remain in place in Yangon, although activity on the streets shows a different reality.
Some bars and restaurants are quietly welcoming customers again and public spaces are becoming more crowded as semi-lockdown fatigue settles in.
The release of the airline schedule, which was sent to Myanmar Mix, follows a meeting of the government’s Covid-19 committee on November 17.
The Ministry of Information published the points discussed in the meeting without stating whether any of the decisions would be imposed.
Officials suggested that travel restrictions would be relaxed with the “resumption of domestic flights.” In townships with relatively low numbers of Covid-19 cases, restaurants may be allowed to reopen and religious ceremonies can be held by December.
However, the officials also mooted a stay-at-home order from November 21 to December 5—despite the fact that such an order remains in place. They discussed a range of other issues, among them allowing Christmas hymns in churches while banning carol singing.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications ordered a halt to domestic flights on September 11 amid a spike in Covid-19 cases. But the number of patients continues to surge, with more than 1,500 new cases reported each day for three days in a row last week. The current total stands at 77,363 cases, 1,722 deaths and 57,679 recoveries. Meanwhile, there has been no indications that a ban on commercial flights from March 31 will be lifted.
