New Delhi: The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Saturday invoked its regulatory powers to impose fare caps across affected routes amid soaring airfares following IndiGo’s cancellation of more than 1,600 flights this week due to crew-rostering mismanagement.
The ministry said it took “serious note” of unusually high fares being charged during the disruption and has directed airlines to ensure “fair and reasonable” pricing to prevent opportunistic hikes. It said the caps would remain in force until the situation stabilises.
Calling the move essential to protect passengers — including senior citizens, students and medical travellers — the ministry said its objective is to maintain pricing discipline and prevent financial distress for those needing to travel urgently.
A formal directive has been issued to all airlines mandating strict compliance with the new fare caps, though specific limits have not been disclosed.
The ministry added that it is monitoring real-time fare data in coordination with airlines and online platforms, warning that any deviation from norms will invite immediate corrective action.
IndiGo’s large-scale cancellations on Friday, triggered by mismanagement under the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) implemented on November 1, caused fares across airlines to skyrocket — in some cases five to ten times the usual rates.
Round-trip fares on major routes spiked to unprecedented levels: Delhi–Mumbai touched ₹93,000, Bengaluru ₹92,000, Kolkata ₹94,000 and Chennai ₹80,000, compared to normal economy return fares of ₹20,000–25,000 and seldom above ₹30,000 even for last-minute bookings. (Agencies)
