Flight Tickets Won’t Cost a Bomb: Read What Centre Tells Private Airlines

Domestic Ticket Fare: As private airlines start booking tickets for trips from May 25 and onwards, the ticket prices won’t skyrocket, the Centre has assured. Owing to the two-month lockdown since March 25, the aviation industry incurred a huge loss. But that can’t be compensated from inflating the ticket prices, the aviation ministry has said to the airlines. In its SOP (standard operating protocol) issued to the airlines, the aviation ministry has said that the airlines must adhere to the lower and upper limit of fares prescribed by govt during COVID-19 pandemic period. Also Read – No Newspaper, Magazine on Board: Dos and Don’ts For Passengers on Domestic Flight From May 25

From the middle of this month, there have been speculations over the resumption of the domestic flights in India. As many of the airlines are bringing Indians stranded abroad, and many airports are functional, the aviation industry was keen to resume operations, maintaining all protocols. Union civil aviation minister had earlier said that domestic flight operations could begin before May 15. However, the Centre did not allow domestic flight operations during lockdown 4.0 which started from May 18. According to reports, Air India was ready with its schedule of resuming operations from May 19. But two days later, the Centre gave the go-ahead. Also Read – Domestic Flights to Resume: ‘Do Not Use’ Chairs to Ensure Social Distancing at Airports

Here’s all you need to know about ticket booking and prices Also Read – Domestic Flight Resumption: Only One Check-in Bag, No Meal on Flight | Ministry’s Guideline to Airlines

1. Booking will begin from today.

2. Previously, the airlines were accepting bookings from June 1

3. There will be a cap on ticket prices but that doesn’t mean that ticket fares will remain the same as they were before the outbreak of the pandemic.

4. Prices will be on the higher side. But as airlines will have to justify the prices to the civil aviation ministry, the prices will not skyrocket.

5. It is because of the prices that Union civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said he was not in favour of keeping the middle seats empty. Because if that happens, then the aircraft will fly with one-third of the entire capacity, forcing them to increase ticket prices.

6. Airports will also be not fully operational on May 25. Only one-third will be operational.