Amidst a nationwide travel crisis triggered by mass flight cancellations, the MoCA has ordered a temporary cap on domestic airfares with a view to saving passengers from skyrocketing ticket prices.
The cap applies to all airlines, but with maximum fare limits according to flight distance: up to ₹7,500 for routes under 500 km, ₹12,000 for 500–1,000 km, ₹15,000 for 1,000–1,500 km, and ₹18,000 for routes over 1,500 km.
The move comes after the IndiGo disruption entered its fifth consecutive day, with hundreds of flights cancelled as the airline struggled to comply with new pilot duty-time rules. The resulting capacity crunch had triggered a sharp spike in fares on alternate airlines — some tickets jumped severalfold.
The ministry, in its directive, warned the carriers that any breach of the fare ceiling would invite “immediate corrective action.”
Meanwhile, stranded passengers have been advised to seek other means of travel. The government also instructed affected airlines — among which was IndiGo — to clear all pending refunds and waive rescheduling fees by December 7.
The temporary price control, in the wake of the unfolding aviation disruption, is targeted at averting exploitation and ultimately ensuring that air travel remains accessible to students, patients, and essential travellers in this period.
