Airfares capped for three months: Here's all you need to know as flights resume from May 25

Airlines have been asked to adhere to the lower and upper limits of fares prescribed by the Civil Aviation Ministry.
Passengers outside Cochin International Airport. (Photo | Express)
Passengers outside Cochin International Airport. (Photo | Express)

A day after announcing the resumption of domestic passenger flights, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri addressed the media and detailed the guidelines to be followed by airports, airlines and passengers. 

Earlier, on Wednesday, Puri had tweeted that domestic flights will start to operate "in a calibrated manner" from May 25.

Here's all you need to know about the resumption of flights after a two-month gap: 

  • Airlines will initially be permitted to operate at one-third the capacity of the approved summer schedule

  • Airfares will be capped for three months till August 24. Airlines have been asked to adhere to the lower and upper limits of fares prescribed by the Ministry.

  • The routes have been divided into seven sections for fare control. The first section is where flight duration is less than 40 minutes. The second section is where the duration is between 40-60 minutes. The rest all are between 60-210 minutes.

  • On the Delhi-Mumbai route, the lower limit would be Rs 3,500 while the upper limit would be Rs 10,000. Apart from this, airlines have also been asked to sell 40 per cent of the tickets in the lower bracket.

  • Vulnerable persons, such as very elderly, pregnant women and passengers with health issues, are advised to restrain from air travel.

  • Those who are from containment zones will be prohibited from boarding the flight. 

  • A self-declaration/Aarogya Setu app status (for compatible device) would also be obtained that the passenger is free of COVID-19 symptoms. Passengers with "red" status on the Aarogya Setu app would not be permitted to travel.

  • Passengers should report at least two hours before the departure time

  • Only those passengers with confirmed web check-in shall be allowed to enter the airport.

  • It is mandatory for all passengers to wear protective gear before entering the terminal. Passengers are expected to wear masks throughout the journey.

  • Only one check-in bag will be allowed.

  • Middle seats won't be left vacant, said the aviation minister. "Even if you keep the middle seat vacant, you'll still have a situation where the prescribed distance for social distancing isn't followed," he said. Keeping them vacant will increase the ticket fare by 33 per cent which will burden the customers, he added. 

  • Airlines shall not provide meal services on board.

  • Passenger should travel in an authorised taxi/personal vehicle following the norms specified by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

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