Amid Nationwide Flight Chaos, Govt Limits Fares for Routes Under 500 km to ₹7,500

CENTRE IMPOSES STRICT FARE CAPS AS INDIGO MELTDOWN SENDS AIR TICKET PRICES SKYROCKETING

In its strongest crackdown yet, the Centre on Saturday ordered all airlines to immediately comply with newly mandated fare ceilings — from ₹7,500 for short-haul flights to ₹18,000 for long-distance sectors — after domestic airfares shot to staggering highs amid IndiGo’s continuing operational crisis.

Calling the move essential to curb “opportunistic pricing,” the Civil Aviation Ministry warned that any breach of the notified fare limits will trigger immediate action.

Emergency Fare Caps Announced

Under the nationwide order, economy-class fares have been capped as follows:

• Up to 500 km: ₹7,500

• 500–1000 km: ₹12,000

• 1000–1500 km: ₹15,000

• Above 1500 km: ₹18,000

These caps — excluding UDF, PSF and taxes — apply across all booking platforms, including airline websites, apps, OTAs and travel portals. Business-class fares and UDAN routes are exempt.

The government said the restrictions will stay in force until fares stabilise.

Airlines must also ensure availability across fare buckets and add seats on routes where demand has spiked sharply.

IndiGo Chaos Triggers Fare Surge

The directive follows a massive jump in domestic airfares after over 1,000 IndiGo flights were cancelled in recent days, largely due to disruptions caused by new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms.

On Friday alone, nearly 1,000 IndiGo flights were scrapped — the worst day so far — sending fares on major routes spiralling:

• Delhi–Mumbai: up to ₹65,460 (non-stop)

• One-stop Delhi–Mumbai: ₹38,376–₹48,972

• Kolkata–Mumbai: ₹90,000 (one-stop)

• Bengaluru–Delhi: ₹88,000

Airfares on several metro routes rose 3–4 times the usual levels. To ease the chaos, the government also deployed additional trains.

Air India Says It Capped Fares Earlier

Amid public outrage over high prices, Air India clarified that it had already capped economy fares on all its non-stop domestic flights from December 4, even before the government order.

It said viral screenshots showing exorbitant fares mostly involved one-stop or mixed-cabin itineraries, where system-wide caps are harder to implement. The airline is now working with third-party platforms to tighten control.

Both Air India and Air India Express have added capacity to help stranded travellers.

IndiGo Operations Show Early Signs of Recovery

A day after receiving temporary relief from implementing FDTL norms, IndiGo’s operations showed some stabilisation. Around 500 flights were cancelled on Saturday, far fewer than the day before. Chaos at airports also appeared to ease.

Meanwhile, the crisis has reached the Supreme Court, where a petition has sought intervention over losses faced by passengers due to mass cancellations.