The government has said that the airfares have come down in 2024 as compared to 2023 and especially
The government has said that air fares have come down in 2024 compared to 2023 and air ticket prices on various routes have come down, especially during the festive season.
Government’s stance on air fare regulation
Amid concerns that air ticket prices are running high in some quarters, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Muralidhar Mohol told the Rajya Sabha that air fares are not subject to government regulation and airlines have the flexibility to set their air fares based on their operational needs. For existing regulations.
Maintaining market competitiveness
“…Government generally refrains from regulating air fares to maintain market competitiveness, however, it remains vigilant, and intervenes to shift capacity from one sector to another to prevent excessive pricing to ensure the comfort and welfare of passengers, ” he said in a written reply. On 25 November.
The dynamic nature of air fares
Air fares are dynamic and are a function of supply and demand.
Tie-up with airlines and OTAs
With continued engagement with airlines and online ticketing agents (OTAs) and government monitoring of airfare movements, Mohol said airfares have come down in 2024 compared to 2023.
“Airlines have also been sensitized to ensure fairness and keep passengers’ interests in mind while fixing air fares. Notably, during the festive season, various sectors saw a drop in airfares,” he added.
Seasonal trends and influencing factors
According to him, trends in air fare prices in India reflect significant seasonality, prevailing fuel prices, capacity of aircraft operating on the route, competition in the sector, seasonality, holidays, festivals, long weekends and events.
Operational constraints and price fluctuations
Besides, he said prices are significantly affected by operational constraints at airports, adding that a combination of limited capacity and elevated demand causes airfares to fluctuate.
As Govt. Asst
“Given the complex dynamics of the Indian aviation industry, the government is playing the role of facilitator by creating an enabling environment to support the growth of the sector,” Mohol said.