The extension of fare capping on domestic flights and 80% limit on domestic flight capacity till May 31 by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to contain surge pricing has come as relief to flyers.
As many as 18,843 flights are to be operated a week from 108 airports across the country for the summer schedule. The flights in the summer schedule commenced on last Sunday of March and will conclude on the last Sunday of October.
The decision has come at a time when the country is witnessing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases and international airfares going up following the entry restrictions enforced by several countries on Indians.
With travel restrictions and the COVID protocol in place in many States , airline sources say the demand for seats in domestic flights will be less in the coming days. Already, Railways have started cancelling long-distance trains citing poor patronage.
The aviation regulator’s decision comes after last month’s increase in the cap on the lowest and the highest price bands by 10-30%. Although domestic flyers will benefit from the DGCA’s decision, the airline industry badly hit by the pandemic is upset as it seeks to cap the flight capacity at 60%.
The fare caps were imposed after domestic flights resumed in May 2020 after the pandemic-induced lockdown led to suspension of all flight operations, including international, on March 23, 2020.
Domestic flights with less than 40-minute duration to have lower and upper limits of ₹2,000 and ₹6,000, 40-60 minutes ₹2,500 and ₹7,500, 60-90 minutes ₹3,000 and ₹9,000, 90-120 minutes ₹3,500 and ₹10,000, 120-150 minutes ₹4,500 and ₹13,000, and 150-180 minutes ₹5,500 and ₹15,700 as per the fare limits announced by the DGCA.
