Airlines operators asked to monitor rise in air fares: Jyotiraditya Scindia
Jun 05, 2023
New Delhi [India], June 5 : Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in a meeting on Monday with Airlines Advisory Group discussed the issue of rise in air fares.
During the meeting, he shared his concerns regarding recent reports of abnormal surge pricing on certain routes and asked airlines to self-monitor fares on certain select routes that have seen considerable surge pricing recently, including after Go First filed for voluntary insolvency and its services remain cancelled.
The government has been receiving numerous complaints regarding skyrocketing air fares after GoFirst shut down, a member who attended the meeting said.
The social media is flooded with complaints over the high airfares. During the peak summer season, the tourist hotspot sector like Delhi - Leh and Srinagar have witnessed a Delhi return airfares touching around Rs 50,000.
The airlines airfare is unregulated and it usually is determined by the market forces (the demand and supply).
The meeting was also called amid reports of a "huge increase" in fares for flights to and from violence-hit Manipur, even as some airlines temporarily waived off some charges, including rescheduling of flights.
The air prices will be monitored by the regulator DGCA.
Scindia, referring to the unfortunate Odisha train accident, specially stressed that airlines need to keep a check on the pricing tickets in view of the humanitarian situation and monitor and control any surge in ticket prices to/from that region.
On Monday, the airlines have also been advised to provide free cargo services to the families of the deceased. The train accident in Balasore on Friday evening left 275 dead and over 1,000 injured.
