Domestic air travel to become costlier? Govt hikes minimum airfares amid COVID-19

As India continues to reel under the unprecedented second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has now raised the lower limit on airfares by 13 to 16 per cent in turn paving way for domestic flying to become costlier for travellers. As per PTI, the upper limits have remained unchanged. According to an official order, the increase in fares is set to come into effect from June 1. 

It is important to mention that the move comes in view of a devastating second wave of the pandemic in India.

COVID-19: MoCA increases domestic flight fare

As per the new order from the Civil Aviation Ministry, the lower limit for flights under 40 minutes of duration will be increased from Rs 2,300 to Rs 2, 600, which is a hike of 13 per cent. Similarly, flights with a duration between 40 minutes and 60 minutes will have a lower limit of Rs 3,300 instead of  Rs 2,900 now, the order said.

As per the Civil Aviation Ministry, the domestic flights of duration between 60-90, 90-120, 120-150, 150-180 and 180-210 minutes will have lower limits of Rs 4,000, Rs 4,700, Rs 6,100, Rs 7,400 and Rs 8,700 respectively from June 1 onwards. Currently, the domestic flights of duration between 60-90, 90-120, 120-150, 150-180 and 180-210 minutes have lower limits of Rs 3,500, Rs 4,100, Rs 5,300, Rs 6,400 and Rs 7,600 respectively. 

Earlier on May 25 last year, India after a 2-month stringent lockdown had imposed power and upper limits on airfares based on flight duration when services were resumed. As far as the capacity limit is concerned, the government had directed that the airlines can operate only 50 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights from June 1, instead of 80 per cent permitted currently. 

This decision has been taken ''in view of the sudden surge in the number of active COVID-19 cases across the country, decrease in passenger traffic and passenger load factor (occupancy rate)", the ministry said in an order. On 28 February, around 3.13 lakh domestic air passengers travelled in India. On 25 May, domestic flights operated in India with only 39,000 passengers approximately.

COVID-19 situation in India

India has so far recorded over 2,77,29,247 new cases, out of which 2,51,78,011 have successfully recovered and 3,22,512 have died. As per the latest reports from MoHFW, in the past 24 hours, 1,73,790 new cases, 2,84,601 fresh recoveries and 3,617 deaths have been reported. Currently, the total number of active cases in the country is 22,28,724. 

(Image: Unsplash, PTI)