No airfare spike this Diwali? Government issues directive to airlines to keep fares reasonable

Ahead of the festive season, when airfares typically spike due to high demand, travellers may get some relief this Diwali. Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu on Friday directed airlines to maintain reasonable ticket prices across all routes during the upcoming festival period.

Naidu held a five-hour review meeting with officials from Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Alliance Air, Fly91, FlyBig, and IndiaOne Air. Discussions covered operational performance, technical issues, passenger grievances, and security incidents, according to an official release cited by PTI.

Measures to prevent fare surges

• Airlines were instructed to avoid sudden price hikes and ensure fares remain reasonable despite increased festive demand.

• The AirSewa portal has been upgraded to allow passengers to register complaints regarding high airfares.

• The DGCA’s Tariff Monitoring Unit will monitor airlines’ compliance with declared fare ranges.

“Airlines assured that passenger convenience will remain their top priority and informed that additional flight capacities have been deployed on high-traffic routes to meet festive demand,” the ministry said.

Emphasis on service quality

The review also came in the wake of two recent incidents involving Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Naidu urged airlines to adopt best practices in passenger service, resolve grievances promptly, and improve operational efficiency.

“Detailed discussions were held with each airline on identifying bottlenecks in their operations and addressing their challenges,” the release added.

The meeting was attended by Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, DGCA Director General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, and other senior ministry officials.

This move aims to ensure fair pricing and better passenger experience during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.