New Delhi: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has warned airlines in India that no extra charges should be added to air tickets during the ongoing disruption in flight services. The ministry said that air ticket pricing must remain within the norms already set and that strict action will be taken against any airline that violates these rules.
The warning comes at a time when IndiGo and other airlines are facing large scale cancellations and delays because of staff shortage and new duty rules for pilots. Thousands of passengers have been affected and many were forced to search for last minute tickets on other carriers. This led to a sudden price increase on several routes.
To protect passengers the government has put temporary fare caps on domestic flights. The ministry said that these fare limits will continue until the situation returns to normal. Airlines have also been asked not to charge rescheduling fees from passengers who were affected by cancellations.
The government has instructed airlines to complete all pending refunds for cancelled flights by December 7. Dedicated help desks and support teams must also be set up to contact affected passengers and process refunds or alternate bookings without delays.
Passengers who lost baggage during the disruption will have it returned within 48 hours or receive compensation as per aviation rules.
Officials said they are closely monitoring air ticket pricing and airline operations. If any carrier is found to be overcharging customers or violating guidelines further regulatory action will be taken.
The aviation disruption began after the new pilot duty time rules were introduced to reduce fatigue. Some airlines reportedly were not fully prepared for the staffing changes leading to a shortage of crew and flight cancellations.
The Ministry assured passengers that efforts are ongoing to stabilise schedules across all major airlines in the coming days.