Air Fare Cap to Remain in Place For Another Three Months: Civil Aviation Minister

New Delhi: The upper and lower limits on domestic airfares will remain in place for another three months post November 24, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday. Also Read – International Flights: When Will The Normal International Flights Resume? Not This Year

The ministry had on May 21 placed these limits through seven bands, classified on the basis of flight duration, till August 24. Later, it was extended till November 24. Also Read – International Flights: Travel Bubble to Continue Till April-March; Domestic Airlines to Increase Capacity to 75%

Puri said if the scheduled domestic flights reach pre-COVID levels by the end of the year, he will have no hesitation in removing the fare limits at that time. Also Read – International Flights: India Has Established Air Bubble Arrangements With These Countries | Check Details Here

“We are extending the price bands for another three months,” he said at a press conference.

It is my expectation that by the time we reach Diwali, and between Diwali & the end of the year, we should be looking at figures (of operations under domestic civil aviation) which resemble pre-COVID levels: Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Civil Aviation Minister pic.twitter.com/CyIbPKwxXO

— ANI (@ANI) October 29, 2020

“Even though we are extending it by three months, if by the time we reach the end of the year, and if we find that there is a very appreciable movement in the situation and we are reaching pre-COVID levels, I would absolutely have no hesitation if my colleagues (aviation ministry officials) want us to not utilise the price band for the full three months period,” Puri added.

Domestic passenger services resumed on May 25 after nearly two months of suspension to combat the coronavirus outbreak.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had on May 21 announced seven bands of ticket pricing with lower and upper fare limits based on flight duration.

The first such band consists of flights that are of less than 40 minutes duration.

The lower and the upper fare limits for the first band is Rs 2,000 and Rs 6,000, respectively.

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 lower and upper limits for these bands are: Rs 2,500-Rs 7,500; Rs 3,000-Rs 9,000; Rs 3,500-Rs 10,000; Rs 4,500-Rs 13,000; Rs 5,500-Rs 15,700 and Rs 6,500-Rs 18,600, respectively, the DGCA said.