Domestic Flight Tickets Will Become More Expensive As Govt Lifts Airfare Caps: Check Report

The Civil Aviation Ministry upped the lower threshold for flights under 40 minutes in runtime from Rs 2,600 to Rs 2,900 in a directive issued on Thursday, a jump of 11.53 percent. It also upped the upper threshold for flights under 40 minutes in the timeframe by 12.82 percent, to Rs 8,800. This is due to the Civil Aviation Ministry hiked the lower and higher ceilings on domestic prices by 9.83 percent to 12.82 percent in an official decree. Moreover, flights spanning 40-60 minutes now have a lower ceiling of Rs 3,700 rather than Rs 3,300, according to the directive.

On Thursday, the maximum limit for these flights was raised to Rs 11,000, a jump of 12.24 percent. Flights spanning between 60-90 minutes have a lower threshold of Rs 4,500, which is a 12.5 percent raise. On Thursday, the maximum limit for these flights was raised by 12.82 percent to Rs 13,200. Domestic flights with a runtime of 90-120 minutes, 120-150 minutes, 150-180 minutes, and 180-210 minutes now have reduced ceilings of Rs 5,300, Rs 6,700, Rs 8,300, and Rs 9,800, according to the ministry's directive.

Domestic flights of 90-120 minutes, 120-150 minutes, 150-180 minutes, and 180-210 minutes had reduced limitations of Rs 4,700, Rs 6,100, Rs 7,400, and Rs 8,700, respectively, till now. According to the new directive, the lower ceiling for flights running 120-150 minutes has been hiked by 9.83 percent to Rs 6,700. According to the directive, the maximum ceilings on domestic flights with a period of 90 to 120 minutes, 120 to 150 minutes, 150 to 180 minutes, and 180 to 210 minutes were raised by 12.3 percent, 12.42 percent, 12.74 percent, and 12.39 percent, respectively, on Thursday.

The passenger security fee (PSF) or Aviation Security Fee (ASF), the airport user development fee or user development fee (UDF), and the GST are not included in the government's order's quotas. These fees are applied in addition to the ticket cost when it is purchased by the traveler. According to the ministry's directive issued on Thursday, the government made the decision to raise the lower and upper limits in light of the current COVID-19 scenario in the nation.