Govt Caps Airfares Amid IndiGo Crisis
MoCA Invokes Regulatory Powers to Curb Surge Pricing on Affected Routes
- MoCA orders airlines to follow newly prescribed fare caps during disruptions
- Move aims to prevent opportunistic pricing amid IndiGo operational crisis
- Senior citizens, students and patients to be protected from fare spikes
- Ministry to monitor real-time data; violations to face swift action
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 6th Dec: The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Friday stepped in to curb soaring ticket prices triggered by the ongoing IndiGo operational crisis, invoking its regulatory powers to ensure that airlines charge fair and reasonable fares across all affected routes.
Taking note of complaints about unusually high airfares during the disruption, the Ministry issued a formal directive to all carriers mandating strict compliance with newly prescribed fare caps. These limits will remain in force until airline operations stabilise.
According to the Ministry, the move aims to maintain pricing discipline, prevent exploitation of passengers in distress and ensure that citizens with urgent travel needs — including senior citizens, students and patients — are not subjected to financial strain.
MoCA said it will closely monitor fare levels through real-time data, with continuous coordination between airlines and online travel platforms. Any deviation from the prescribed norms, officials warned, will invite immediate corrective action in the larger public interest.
The intervention comes as the aviation sector faces heavy disruptions due to IndiGo’s large-scale cancellations, prompting the Centre to enforce regulatory safeguards to protect passengers.
