Domestic flights in the country have become expensive by 30%. The government has increased the minimum and maximum prices for domestic air travel on different routes to 10-30 percent.
Along with this, the government has extended the limit of operating rules on airlines companies with a maximum passenger capacity of 80 percent till 31 March.
According to the new prices, domestic flights have become expensive by a maximum of 30%. For example, the flight fare between Delhi and Mumbai will now be Rs 3,900-13,000 instead of Rs 3,500-10,000.
These are one-way fares of economy class which do not include the airport user development fee, passenger safety fee (Rs 150 for domestic) and GST. This price will be even more if they meet them.
In May last year, the Ministry of Aviation divided domestic flights into seven categories based on the time of flight. Its time range is from 40 minutes to 3-3.5 hours.
The fare limit for air travel has been increased because the price of jet fuel has increased considerably since May last year.
The government has indicated that the new fare may continue to be in force till summer this year, once again, in the pre-Kovid era.
What will be the difference in prices?
• The fares for flights with duration of 40 minutes were earlier – Rs 2,000-6,000. The new fare will be 2,200-7,800. This timeframe includes routes like Delhi-Chandigarh, Goa-Mumbai, Mangalore-Bangalore and Srinagar-Jammu.
• The fare for flights of duration of 40 to 60 minutes was earlier Rs 2,500-7,500. The new fare will be 2,800-9,800. This includes Ahmedabad-Bhopal, Leh-Delhi, Hydabed-Mumbai, Delhi-Srinagar routes.
• The first fare for flights of duration of 60 to 90 minutes – Rs. 3,000-9,000, the new fare will be 3,300-11,700. In this, Bangalore-Mumbai, Kolkata-Lucknow, Patna-Delhi, Chennai-Kolkata routes have been laid.
• Flights of 60 to 90 minutes duration: First fare- Rs 3,000-9,000, New fares- Rs 3,300-11,700. Route – Bengaluru-Mumbai, Kolkata-Lucknow, Patna-Delhi. Chennai-Kolkata
• Flights of 90 to 120 minutes duration: First fare – Rs 3,500-10,000. New Fare – 3,900-13,000. Route- Delhi-Mumbai Chennai-Mumbai, Port Blair-Chennai, Jaipur-Varanasi.
• Flights of 120 to 150 minutes duration: First fare- Rs 4,500-13,000, New fare- 5,000-16,900. Route – Delhi-Bengaluru, Guwahati-Delhi, Jaipur-Bengaluru, Goa-Delhi.
• Flights of 150 to 180 minutes duration: First fare- Rs 5,500-15,700. New Air Fair – Rs 6,100-20,400. Route- Delhi-Kochi, Mumbai-Guwahati, Mumbai-Srinagar, Chennai-Guwahati.
• Flights of duration from 180 to 210 minutes: Earlier fares- Rs 6,500-18,600. New Fare – Rs 7,200 – 24,200. Route – Coimbatore-Delhi, Delhi-Thiruvananthapuram. Delhi-Port Blair.
Earlier, aviation officials had sought suggestions on allowing more than 80% of the passengers’ permitted capacity in airlines. Airlines such as IndiGo, Vistara and Air India supported it, while some airlines like SpiceJet supported the gradual opening.
Operation of domestic flights was also stopped from 25 March 2020 in view of Kovid-19. After this, operations were resumed on May 25, 2020 with one-third capacity, following various rules and precautions.
Since then the government is gradually increasing the capacity to ensure social distancing at airlines and airports and to follow the protocol of cleanliness.
On 3 December 2020, airlines were allowed to operate with 80% limit for their domestic flights. Recently, the government had sought opinion from the airlines to increase it further.
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