Civil Aviation Ministry imposes fare caps amid IndiGo crisis

New Delhi, Dec 6: The Civil Aviation Ministry has imposed caps on airfares to curb the surge in ticket prices following widespread delays and cancellations of IndiGo’s domestic flights.

The move comes after reports of fares spiking up to four times their usual rates on major routes, affecting passengers traveling to cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru.

The ministry directed all airlines to adhere to the prescribed fare limits until operations stabilize and announced that IndiGo must complete all passenger refunds for cancelled or disrupted flights by 8 PM on December 7, 2025, without charging rescheduling fees. It will continue monitoring fares in real time and coordinating with airlines and travel platforms.

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Passengers faced extreme fare inflation, with non-stop Delhi–Mumbai tickets rising to over Rs 65,000, and one-stop Kolkata–Mumbai and Bengaluru–Delhi flights priced as high as Rs 90,000 and Rs 88,000 respectively.

To alleviate travel disruption, the government has also arranged additional train services.

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IndiGo has cancelled hundreds of flights as its operational crisis, driven by an unanticipated pilot shortage, entered its fifth day. The airline operates over 2,300 flights daily with a fleet of more than 400 aircraft, but punctuality has dropped sharply.

While the government’s temporary exemption from FDTL norms has begun to stabilize operations, nearly 500 flights remained cancelled on Saturday, though airport chaos has eased compared to earlier days.

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Meanwhile, a petition has reached the Supreme Court seeking intervention over the financial losses suffered by passengers due to the flight cancellations.

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