Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Orders Ban On Festive Fare Hikes, Mandates New Safety Training

New Delhi: During a high-level review meeting with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), airlines including Air India and Air India Express and, the Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, issued sharp instructions emphasising passenger safety, reasonable airfares, and improved grievance redressal, as per reports. 

Naidu has directed airlines to ensure airfares remain at reasonable levels during the upcoming festive season. The DGCA's Tariff Monitoring Unit will maintain strict vigilance to ensure compliance. 

Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu wrote on X. “Chaired the monthly review meeting with airlines at the Ministry today. 

Along with senior officials, I held detailed discussions on the operational and technical performance of airlines. 

With the festive season approaching, airlines have complied with our directions to augment flight operations on high-traffic routes for passenger convenience and to keep airfares in check. Today, further sensitise them to ensure that airfares remain reasonable across sectors during the festive demand. 

Passengers can also now flag high airfares directly on the Ministry’s grievance redressal portal AirSewa.” 

Prioritise Safety Protocols: 

Naidu asked airlines for safety, pilots must be encouraged to report incidents voluntarily and without penalty, meaning airlines must not stop or sideline them for good-faith reporting.  

Furthermore, in response to hard landing incidents, Ultra Long-Haul Pilots are now required to undergo immediate, additional simulator training. ‘ 

According to reports, the Minister demanded an exact count of all grounded Air India and Air India Express aircraft, stating that having planes out of service (AOG) during the busy peak season is "unacceptable."  

The Ministry requires action reports detailing the implementation of these instructions before the next review. 

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