NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed major airlines in India to submit details of fares charged on different sectors in December. The Ministry of Civil Aviation had imposed a cap on all airfares last month, which continues to remain in effect.
A senior airline executive confirmed receiving the directive from the regulator. The order has asked IndiGo, SpiceJet, Akasa Air, and Air India to submit the average fares charged on different sectors from December 1 to 15.
The regulator’s order follows reports of exorbitant fares by some airlines during and after IndiGo’s operational disruption from December 1 to 9.
The Ministry had, on December 6, issued a directive capping airfares, providing the following maximum permissible rates: Rs 7,500 for flights up to 500 km; Rs 12,000 for 500–1,000 km; Rs 15,000 for 1,000–1,500 km; and Rs 18,000 for distances over 1,500 km. “This order on fare caps continues to be in effect even now,” a senior Ministry official said.
The AirSewa platform, the Ministry’s grievance redressal mechanism for flyers, received 14,002 complaints in December, a significant portion of which pertained to fare hikes. Between December 3 and 9 alone, the portal received 3,206 complaints.
Some airlines approached for comment declined to respond to the DGCA order.