Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu on Monday (September 9) said that his ministry is closely monitoring airfares daily and urging airlines not to take advantage of the high demand during the festival season.
“We are continuously talking to airline operators and have asked them not to exploit the opportunity, and keep airfares reasonable,” Naidu told reporters at an event focusing on regional air connectivity. “We from the ministry are doing whatever is needed.”
No cap on airfares
When asked about any guidelines or caps on airfare, the minister explained that airfare is determined by the market, and thus, imposing a cap is not feasible.
Tariff regulation has been deregulated, allowing airlines to set reasonable fares themselves, Naidu noted.
Naidu reassured that, so far, there haven’t been any noticeable unreasonable fare increases and that airlines are cooperating. “If we observe any unexpected fare hikes, we will take appropriate action,” he added.
Affordable airfares first priority for Naidu
Additionally, Naidu said that since taking charge, his priority has been to keep airfares affordable. During a recent Parliament session, the minister addressed questions about rising airfares, flight delays, and aviation infrastructure.
He highlighted that engine issues have led to around 120 of the country’s 800 aircraft being grounded, putting extra pressure on the remaining fleet and contributing to higher prices.
“However, there’s a positive development: we have ordered 1,200 aircraft, the highest in the world. We are ensuring that these planes are delivered on schedule, and we are doing everything possible to facilitate this,” Naidu concluded.