Domestic airlines have proposed a massive raise in ticket prices, ignoring the Government’s calls not to resort to exorbitant fares. The new fares have been submitted for review to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). If the proposed airfare gets approval by the ministry and the DGCA, the fares may see a 300 per cent hike.
A Delhi-Bengaluru flight journey is expected to cost Rs 40,000 and a trip next door to Chandigarh as much as Rs 14,000. A one way trip from Delhi to Cochin even on a low cost airline like Spicejet and Jetlite will cost over Rs 20,000. Most of the airlines have proposed price bands in four slabs of distances.
The airlines have proposed fares and distances under these slabs: up to 750 km: low cost carrier (LCC) fares' starting from Rs 2,200 and full service carrier (FSC) maximum of Rs 13,000; between 750-1,000 km: Rs 3,000(LCC)-Rs 20,000 (FSC); between 1,000-1,400 km:Rs 4,000 (LCC)-Rs 25,000 (FSC); and over 1,400 km:Rs 5,000 (LCC)-Rs 40,000 (FSC).
The domestic airlines came out with the proposal after they were asked by the DGCA to submit the planned price bands on various sectors after some of them resorted to steep hike in airfares.
Earlier, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said that the airlines would not be allowed to charge exorbitantly.
“DGCA will not allow any predatory or exorbitant pricing... If there is something lacking we will make necessary correction. We will not allow airlines to charge exorbitantly,” he added.