Self-monitor fares on select routes, govt tells airlines
1 min read 05 Jun 2023, 11:08 PM ISTSpot airfares for flights to Ahmedabad from Delhi have become dearer, rising to around ₹16,000 from around ₹3,000 in the last week of April.
PremiumNew Delhi: The civil aviation ministry has asked airlines to self-monitor air fares after the temporary suspension of Go First flights led to surge-pricing on routes where the airline had a strong presence.
“Airlines must self-monitor air fares on certain select routes that have seen considerable surge-pricing of late, particularly those that were earlier being serviced by Go First," a senior official said.
Airlines have been advised to sit together and ensure reasonable pricing within the different fare codes. The move is essentially aimed at encouraging airlines to keep a check on high fares. “This shall be monitored by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation," the official said.
In an hour-long meeting with the airlines advisory group, the Union civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia discussed the issue of air fares, which have been soaring since the first week of May 2023 when the Wadia Group-backed airline voluntarily filed for insolvency. The airline suspended operations with effect from 3 May and is yet to resume flights. Data from the travel website Ixigo showed last-minute airfares for flights on routes with a strong presence of Go First, such as Delhi-Pune have risen to approximately ₹16,000 from a little over ₹6,000 in the last week of April. Spot airfares for flights to Ahmedabad from Delhi have also become dearer, rising to around ₹16,000 from around ₹3,000 in the last week of April.
Spot fares on the Delhi-Leh route are around ₹9,000, compared with ₹6,000 in the last week of April. Similarly, Delhi-Srinagar flights have shot up to ₹ 12,000 from ₹9,000.
With a 6.9% share in India’s domestic aviation market as of March, Go First carried an average of around 900,000 passengers per month, or about 30,000 per day.
The civil aviation ministry also pointed out that during any calamity, airlines need to keep a tight check on the pricing of air tickets in view of the humanitarian situation and monitor and control any surge in ticket prices to and from that region.
“In case of the unfortunate Odisha (train accident) tragedy, airlines have been advised to provide free carriage (cargo) services to the families of the deceased," the official added.