New Delhi: Amid continued disruptions to air services in the country due to IndiGo’s operational crisis, air ticket prices have reached record levels. Fares on many routes have risen three to four times higher than normal, exacerbating passenger hardship. In light of this situation, the central government has issued a strict warning to all airlines to adhere to prescribed fare limits and avoid any opportunistic price increases.
Strict order from the Centre
The Ministry of Civil Aviation stated in an official directive that complaints of some airlines taking advantage of the current crisis to charge exorbitant fares have been received, which the government is taking very seriously. The ministry clarified that any deviation from the newly established fare limits will be grounds for immediate action.
The directive states that this fare control will remain in effect until flight operations across the country return to normal. The ministry emphasized that this step was taken to ensure that passengers are not financially shocked by sudden fare increases.
Indigo crisis disrupts air service system
India’s largest budget airline, IndiGo, has been grappling with a severe operational crisis for the past few days. Major changes to crew rosters to comply with new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulations have reduced pilot and crew availability on many routes. As a result, more than 1,000 flights were cancelled in a single day, marking the worst operational day in IndiGo’s history.
The spate of IndiGo flight cancellations also impacted other airlines. A large number of passengers turned to other options, leading to a sudden surge in demand and rapidly skyrocketing ticket prices.
Rents increased by up to four times
The flight cancellations caused significant hardship for passengers, with those traveling between major cities like the capital Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru paying three to four times the original price for their tickets.
For example, fares for a non-stop flight from Delhi to Mumbai reached ₹65,460, nearly four times higher than usual. One-stop options, meanwhile, were priced between ₹38,376 and ₹48,972, which was considered equally unexpectedly high.
Strict monitoring until the situation returns to normal
The government has made it clear that airfares will be strictly monitored and airlines will not be allowed to engage in any irregularities. The ministry stated that the imposition of fare caps will provide relief to passengers and ensure that air travel does not become unnecessarily expensive even during the crisis.
