The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has stepped in to regulate domestic airfares following widespread disruptions in flight operations.
In response to complaints about steep fare hikes, the Ministry invoked its regulatory powers to ensure fair pricing across affected routes.
On Saturday, MoCA issued an official directive mandating all domestic scheduled airlines to strictly adhere to newly prescribed fare caps. These limits aim to protect passengers from opportunistic pricing and will remain in force until flight operations stabilise.
According to the order, airlines cannot charge more than Rs 7,500 for flights up to 500 km. For distances between 500 and 1,000 km, the maximum fare is Rs 12,000. Routes ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 km are capped at Rs 15,000, while flights exceeding 1,500 km must remain within Rs 18,000.
These fare ceilings exclude applicable taxes such as UDF and PSF and do not apply to business class or RCS UDAN flights. The Ministry also directed airlines to maintain ticket availability across all booking platforms and consider increasing capacity on high-demand sectors.
The move comes amid reports of passengers facing exorbitant fares due to cancellations and reduced availability. By enforcing these limits, the government aims to restore balance and prevent exploitation during the disruption.
MoCA emphasised that the fare caps apply uniformly across all booking channels, including airline websites and travel portals. Airlines must comply with the directive and ensure transparency in pricing.
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