Domestic airfares on major Indian routes have recorded a sharp surge right ahead of the upcoming festival season, with ticket prices on certain sectors jumping by two to three times their standard levels. Taking note of this rapid rise in travel expenses, the Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI), an apex body representing traders and entrepreneurs, has submitted a formal representation to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. The organization has urged the ministry to rein in unilateral fare revisions by airlines and ensure that ordinary citizens are protected from excessive travel costs during festive months.
Airfares Jump by 50 to 100 Percent Across Major Sectors
CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal noted that an internal assessment by the organization revealed tickets that were available at reasonable rates just days ago are now being sold at more than double the price. Leading carriers, including IndiGo and Air India, have raised their tariffs by 50% to 100% within a very brief span. The country enters its primary festive window starting with Ganesh Mahotsav, extending through Diwali and Chhath Puja, a stretch when domestic travel volumes rise significantly as families visit their hometowns. Imposing a 100% fare jump precisely when travel demand escalates has strained the budgets of middle and upper-middle class travelers.
Route-Wise Surge in Ticket Prices
An examination of current ticket pricing across key connections originating from the national capital highlights the scale of this increase
- The round-trip fare between Delhi and Mumbai, which previously hovered around 10,000 rupees, has now climbed to a range of 18,000 to 25,000 rupees.
- The return fare between Delhi and Ahmedabad stood between 10,000 and 12,000 rupees earlier, but is currently priced between 18,000 and 20,000 rupees.
- Travelers flying between Delhi and Bengaluru, who previously paid between 12,000 and 15,000 rupees for round trips, are now seeing ticket prices between 30,000 and 35,000 rupees.
- On the Delhi to Kolkata route, return tickets that were earlier priced at around 11,000 rupees have surged to 20,000 rupees.
Hike in Infant Fees and Capacity Reduction Under Scrutiny
Apart from baseline fares, airline fee revisions for infants have also drawn criticism. IndiGo has increased the booking charge for infants aged between 3 days and 2 years from 2,000 rupees to 3,000 rupees, even though airlines do not allocate separate passenger seats for infants. Citing metrics from aviation data agency OAG, Brijesh Goyal emphasized that carriers have simultaneously reduced domestic flying capacity by 5.6% in September itself. IndiGo cut its seat capacity by 4.5%, while Air India reduced seats by 8.8%, despite these two aviation groups controlling more than 90% of the domestic passenger market. Reducing flight capacity ahead of high-demand festivals while inflating ticket prices places unfair financial pressure on travelers, prompting CTI to demand that the central government step in and enforce fare moderation.
