DGCA asks domestic airlines to cap maximum air fares to Kerala
18 Aug 2018
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The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has urged domestic airlines to operate additional flights to and from Kerala with a cap on the maximum fare. It has asked airlines operating the Delhi-Kerala route to keep prices under Rs10,000, in view of the current flood situation.
The aviation regulator has asked airlines to cap the maximum fare to around Rs10,000 on longer routes and to around Rs8,000 on shorter routes to and from Kerala and nearby airports, following reports of airlines making a killing taking advantage of the grave situation.
The advisory came as the state reeled under torrential rain and the worst floods in a century which left the state with only two operational civil airports at Thiruvananthapuram and Calicut. Operations at the Cochin airport have been suspended till 26 August.
"Scheduled domestic airlines have also been advised to ensure that air fares for flights to or from Trivandrum and Calicut airports in Kerala and nearby airports, ie, Mangalore and Coimbatore, are kept at optimal level proportionate to sector distance so that travelling public is not inconvenienced," the ministry of civil aviation said in a statement issued on Friday.
"In addition, DGCA is constantly monitoring air fares on 32 direct routes operating to or from Trivandrum, Calicut, Coimbatore and Mangalore," the statement said.
"Spike in airfare on a few routes have been observed. Concerned airlines have been advised to cap the airfare on these flights."
On Thursday, minister of commerce and industry and civil aviation Suresh Prabhu tweeted: "We have advised airlines to be more sensitive to situation arising out of #KeralaFlooding & keep airfares in check. It's a humanitarian cause. Thx to all for agreeing with my suggestions to carry free of charge the #KeralaFloodRelief related material. All efforts ongoing for relief."
A day ago, minister of statistics and programme implementation D V Sadananda Gowda had tweeted: "Private Airlines are at a money making Shame!! Today Mangalore to Bengaluru ticket rate sky-rocketed to Rs 18,000. This route's average rate is never more than Rs 4,000. It's time to introduce more flights @jayantsinha."
The monsoon fury has hit different parts of Western Ghats, including districts of Kerala and adjoining areas in Karnataka.
