The government on Monday set all airlines a deadline, asking them to upload route-wise airfares datewise on their websites by 5 pm on December 8.
This will mean passengers will be able to see the price-bands charged sectorwise and datewise by airlines and will not get any last-minute shocks if they book tickets very close to the date of travel.
The government said the airlines had accepted the directive, while Kingfisher Airlines chief Vijay Mallya expressed unhappiness over the government stepping in, arguing that demand and supply should determine airfares.
Expressing satisfaction over lowering of airfares by airlines by 25 per cent in the past 48 hours, the government warned airlines it was keeping a close watch and would take appropriate action if they tried to charge excessive fares in the coming Christmas and New Year festive season.
The government deadline was announced as the DGCA on Monday met representatives of full-service airlines like Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher on the question of fares.
“In order to maintain transparency in tariffs, to enable predictability as far as customers were concerned, all scheduled domestic airlines have been directed to upload route-wise tariff ... in various fare categories commensurate with the date of purchase. All airlines have been asked to comply by 5 pm on December 8,” the civil aviation ministry said.
Kingfisher Airlines owner Vijay Mallya was quoted by news agencies as saying Monday: “There is no case of capping airfares in a liberalised environment, be it at the upper or lower band. It is a function of demand and supply.”
Mr Vijay Mallya also denied that the airlines were overcharging their customers, and was further quoted as saying: “It is not exploitation by airlines... Airlines are fighting for marketshare, so demand and supply has to be respected.”