Amid cancellation of IndiGo flights and a hike in ticket prices, the civil aviation ministry on Saturday ordered the restriction of domestic flights to ₹18,000 (excluding service charge, taxes) with immediate effect and will be valid until tariff stabilization or further review. However, the restriction does not apply to business class and UDAN flights, according to a government statement.
The government order comes as IndiGo’s operations across India remained severely disrupted for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday, with more than 400 flights canceled and thousands of passengers stranded at airports in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Guwahati and other cities.
Domestic flight restrictions: Key things to know
– Fare limits apply to travel until fares are stabilized or further reviewed.
– These fare limits apply to all forms of booking, regardless of whether the purchase is made directly through the airline’s official website or through various online travel agency platforms.
– Airlines will maintain the availability of tickets in all travel segments and, if necessary, consider increasing capacity in sectors characterized by a sharp increase in demand.
– Airlines avoid sharp or unusual upward price adjustments in sectors affected by the cancellation.
– Airlines will extend maximum possible support to affected passengers, including alternative flights where possible.
— The orders shall come into force with immediate effect.
Air travel across India was in turmoil this week after IndiGo canceled thousands of flights – prompting extra coaches to run on premium trains to clear the backlog. It started with flight cancellations, delays – spiraling into a saga of passenger frustration – with skyrocketing ticket prices adding to the already mounting chaos.
Ticket prices have skyrocketed
Airfare prices hit unprecedented levels on Friday, with a one-way SpiceJet Kolkata-Mumbai economy class ticket on December 6 costing as much as ₹90,000 and similar Air India ticket for Mumbai-Bhubaneswar upto ₹84,485, according to the airline’s website.
“Last-minute journeys are generally two to three times the normal average fares. But in this situation, we have seen them increase by as much as six times,” a source was quoted as saying by PTI.
Earlier in the day, the civil aviation ministry issued another statement saying it had “taken serious note of concerns regarding unusually high fares” charged by airlines during service disruptions.
“To protect passengers from any form of opportunistic pricing, the ministry has used its regulatory powers to ensure fair and reasonable pricing on all affected routes. An official directive has been issued to all airlines ordering them to strictly adhere to the fare caps now prescribed. These caps will remain in place until the situation is fully stabilised,” the ministry said in a statement.
