Air travel is most likely to be costlier as the Ministry of Civil Aviation has enhanced the minimum and maximum cap on fares across all bands. The limits on airfares have been enhanced by 10-30 per cent, the ministry mentioned in a notification issued on Thursday. While the move is anticipated to bring some relief to the financially distressed aviation business, one of the most impacted industries due to the fact of the coronavirus pandemic, it would also make air travel costlier at least till March 31.
According to a report by The Indian Express, the government had imposed fare restrictions, by means of bands, when it reopened air travel in May. The restrictions for flights have been imposed to make confident that dynamic pricing will not influence passengers.
In the initially such band, there have been flights with much less than 40-minute duration. The decrease limit for this band has now been enhanced to Rs 2,200 from earlier Rs 2,000. Similarly, the upper limit for this band has now been set at Rs 7,800. It was earlier at Rs 6,000.
The fresh upper and decrease limits for subsequent bands are – Rs 2,800-Rs 9,800 for flights with durations of 40-60 minutes, Rs 3,300-Rs 11,700 for 60-90 minutes, Rs 3,900-Rs 13,000 for 90-120 minutes, Rs 5,000-Rs 16,900 for 120-150 minutes, Rs 6,one hundred-Rs 20,400 for 150-180 minutes, Rs 7,200-Rs 24,200 for 180-210 minutes.
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Before the most current boost in the cap on airfares, the decrease and upper limits have been as follows – 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.
According to the ministry, the new limits will be applicable up to March 31 or till additional orders. Earlier in January, the govt had permitted airlines to sell only 20 per cent of the air tickets beneath the typical fare.
Airline executives are content with the most current selection but they are of the view that the government really should quickly do away with the restrictions. “This increase in the upper and lower cap is a relief naturally as we are facing fuel prices rise. The decision will allow us to raise base fare as per the new median range,” an official of a low-price airline was quoted as saying in the report.