Government Imposes Airfare Caps Amid Indigo Flight Disruptions

Government Action on Airfare Amid Indigo Flight Issues

In response to disruptions in Indigo flights, the government has established a cap on airfare. Congress leader P. Chidambaram remarked on Sunday that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has finally taken notice, advocating for such price control measures to remain in place as long as monopolistic practices persist in the airline sector.

Due to operational issues with Indigo, hundreds of flights have been canceled or delayed in recent days, causing significant inconvenience for thousands of travelers across the nation.

Chidambaram expressed his satisfaction on social media, stating, “I am pleased that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has finally woken up and set a limit on economy class fares.” He emphasized that fare caps should remain until competition in the airline industry improves.

The Congress leader pointed out that without robust competition, controlling prices is the only way to protect public interest. Previously, he criticized the disruptions in Indigo's operations and the chaotic environment at airports nationwide as a significant failure of Indigo's management, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the DGCA, and the entire government.

Noting that new regulations regarding pilot duty hours were announced in January 2024, Chidambaram stated, “Yet, over the past 23 months, the government has failed to assist the airline in adapting its operations to comply with these new rules. The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are entirely responsible for this situation.”