New Delhi: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has announced new fare limits for domestic air travel after complaints of sudden price increases by airlines, especially following widespread flight cancellations and disruptions involving IndiGo in recent days.
Under the temporary rule, airfares for economy class tickets will have a fixed upper limit based on distance. The maximum fare will be up to Rs 7500 for routes up to 500 kilometers. Travel between 500 and 1000 kilometers will have a ceiling of Rs 12000. Flights covering 1000 to 1500 kilometers will have a maximum fare of Rs 15000, while routes over 1500 kilometers will be capped at Rs 18000.
These limits apply only to economy class tickets. Business class fares and flights under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme are not included.
The decision comes after airfare rates surged sharply on many routes when IndiGo faced operational challenges due to new duty time rules for pilots and cabin crew. With hundreds of flights cancelled or delayed, passengers reported unusually high prices as demand increased and available seats reduced.
To stabilise flight operations, the government has also temporarily relaxed the recently introduced duty hour guidelines for airline staff. In addition, a high level inquiry has been launched to investigate the reasons behind the disruptions and the spike in ticket prices.
Officials stated that the fare control measures are temporary and will stay in place until the situation becomes normal and flight schedules return to stability.
Passengers are expected to benefit from this move, especially those booking tickets at short notice. Further updates from the ministry are expected in the coming days.