In a recent move, the Indian government has increased the number of flights that airlines can operate in the domestic market. Until now, the airlines could operate a capacity of 72.5% of their pre-COVID-19 flights. But that limit has been bumped up to 85% now. Because of this, domestic airline operators are going to get a major relief as they can cater to the rising travel demand in the Indian market.
Further, according to an ET Bureau report, the government will closely monitor last-minute airfares for flights up to 15 days from the date the customer is trying to make the booking. This will aid the travellers planning to take a trip back to their homes for the festive season of Diwali.
Indian Government Will Regulate Last-Minute Airfares
The fare bands will be applicable on all flights up to 15 days from the date of the booking. But after the 15th day, there will be no fare band applicable and the government will not regulate the flights’ price.
“If the current date is 20th September, then the fare bands shall be applicable till 4th October. Any booking done on 20th September for travel on or after 5th October shall not be controlled by fare bands,” said a government order that came on Saturday.
“On the following day, that is, if the current date is 21st September then the fare bands shall be in force till 5th October and for travel on or after 6th October, the fare bands shall not be applicable. So, the fare bands will shift by a day every day. The higher flight capacity limit will help airlines introduce more flights as demand for domestic travel rises ahead of the festive season.”
As per the slab, prices for short-haul flights will range between Rs 2,900 – Rs 8,800, and for the long flights will range between Rs 9,800 – Rs 27,200. A restriction of 15 days is meant to ensure fares do not cross the upper limit even during the festive rush.
Source: https://aviationscoop.com/indian-government-increasing-domestic-flights-capacity-now/31730/