The civil aviation ministry has reviewed the price cap on domestic flight tickets increasing the price by 9 to 12 per cent. After the nationwide lockdown imposed in March 2020, when domestic flights resumed operations, the government fixed the upper and the lower limit of the airfares in an attempt to boost air traffic. While that cap has not still been withdrawn, the ministry has revised the lower and upper limit of the ticket prices, effectively bringing a hike in domestic airfare. This also makes the fourth hike.
According to the order, flights under 40 minutes of duration will now cost ₹2,900 – a hike f ₹300 from the previous fare of ₹2,600. This is an increase of 11.53 per cent, while the upper limit has been increased by 12.82 per cent from 7,800 to 8,880. Flights with a duration between 40-60 minutes will cost a minimum of ₹3,700 instead of ₹3,300 and a maximum of ₹11,000 instead of ₹9,800.
The actual price, however, will be more than this as the caps mentioned by the government in its order does not include the passenger security fee, user development fee for the airports and the GST.
The prices have been revised keeping in mind the prevailing Covid-19 situation in the country, the ministry said.
The revision comes at a time when domestic travel has picked momentum and with other countries relaxing lockdown restrictions on Indian flights, international passenger flights to several destinations are resuming.
This is the 4th time that the flight ticket prices have been revised. Ticket prices were revised in February, May and June. The hike is the air traffic fuel price is the reason for the consecutive hikes.
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