Domestic airfare caps removed

The government has removed temporary caps on domestic airfares that were imposed in the wake of IndiGo flight disruptions in December last year. The airfare caps removal will be effective from March 23, according to an order issued by the civil aviation ministry.
The removal also comes at a time when airlines are facing significant operational disruptions in international routes due to the West Asia conflict.
In the order, the ministry also said that airlines are required to exercise pricing discipline and act responsibly. “Airlines shall ensure that fares remain reasonable, transparent and commensurate with market conditions, and that passenger interests are not adversely impacted,” it said. The ministry stressed that any instance of excessive or unjustified surge in fares, if observed particularly during periods of peak demand, disruptions, or exigencies, would be viewed seriously. On a real-time basis, the ministry is monitoring the airfare trends.
According to the order, the temporary caps on domestic airfares were imposed on Dec 6 to contain an abnormal surge in ticket prices arising out of large-scale flight disruptions of IndiGo.