Civil Aviation Ministry increased the lower and upper limits on domestic airfares by 10 to 30 per cent.
Passengers will now have to pay more for air travel as the Civil Aviation Ministry on Thursday increased the lower and upper limits on domestic airfares by 10 to 30 per cent. These new limits would remain “in force up to March 31, 2021, or until further orders”, the ministry said its order on Thursday.
After the COVID-induced lockdown in March last year, scheduled domestic flights resumed on May 21, That's when the civil aviation ministry had placed limits on airfares through seven bands classified on the basis of flight duration.
For flights that are of less than 40 minutes duration, the lower limit for the first band was increased on Thursday from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,200. The upper limit in this band was set at Rs 7,800 from Rs 6,000. The subsequent bands are for flights with durations of 40-60 minutes, 60-90 minutes, 90-120 minutes, 120-150 minutes, 150-180 minutes and 180-210 minutes. The fresh lower and upper limits set by the ministry for these bands on Thursday were: Rs 2,800 – Rs 9,800; Rs 3,300; Rs 11,700; Rs 3,900; Rs 13,000; Rs 5,000; Rs 16,900; Rs 6,100; Rs 20,400; Rs 7,200; Rs 24,200, respectively.
Notably, the move comes after a consistent rise in domestic passenger numbers. At present, the applicability time period of fare bands within which the airlines have to operate is till February 24, 2021.
These fare bands came into force with effect from May 21, 2020.
Recently, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in Parliament said the fixed minimum and maximum airfare structure for the domestic sector will be removed once passenger traffic reaches per-Covid levels.
Under the fare structure, air routes are divided into seven sections based on travel time. Each section has its minimum and maximum fares.
Accordingly, Delhi-Mumbai ticket price has been fixed at Rs 3,500-Rs 10,000.
Currently, the airlines can operate up to 80 per cent of their pre-Covid capacity.
(With inputs from agencies)
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