The Ministry of Civil Aviation has summoned senior officials of IndiGo after the airline was hit by a major flight schedule crisis this week, leading to mass cancellations and leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports across the country, sources said. The Prime Minister’s Office has also been informed about the situation.
Earlier in the day, the government stepped in to cap airfares amid a sharp surge in ticket prices triggered by the widespread disruptions. The ministry fixed fare limits in the range of ₹7,500 to ₹18,000, depending on the distance of the sector. The caps, excluding applicable charges, do not apply to business class and UDAN flights.
Fare Caps Announced
Under the new price limits, fares for flights covering up to 500 kilometres have been capped at ₹7,500, while tickets for sectors between 500 and 1,000 kilometres cannot exceed ₹12,000. The ministry’s order, however, did not clearly specify whether the caps apply only to economy class tickets or to both economy and premium economy categories.
In its two-page directive, the ministry said flight disruptions at one scheduled airline had led to large-scale cancellations, resulting in capacity constraints and an “unreasonable surge” in fares across several sectors. It also directed that the fare limits would apply to all forms of bookings, regardless of whether tickets are purchased directly from airline websites or through online travel platforms.
Thousands Affected
For at least five consecutive days, IndiGo’s operations have remained severely disrupted, with a high volume of cancellations and delays causing significant inconvenience to passengers. In several instances, baggage has also gone missing. On Saturday alone, the country’s largest airline cancelled over 400 flights, while on Friday, the number of cancellations crossed 1,000.
The civil aviation ministry said it will continue to closely monitor fare levels through real-time data and active coordination with airlines and online travel portals. Any deviation from the prescribed norms will invite immediate corrective action in the larger public interest, it warned.
The ministry has also advised airlines to avoid sharp or unusual upward revisions in fares on routes affected by the cancellations, as it seeks to stabilise operations and protect passengers during the ongoing disruption.
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