Lok Sabha Question No. 1940 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-28
Subject: Increase in Domestic Passengers
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Kirron  Kher

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

Lok Sabha

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 1940 ( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  28th July 2022 )

## INCREASE IN DOMESTIC PASSENGERS

1940.    SHRIMATI KIRRON KHER

## Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a)  whether  the  domestic  air  passengers  have  increased  in  the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (b)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  make  the  air  travel affordable in the country?

## ANSWER

## Minister of CIVIL AVIATION      (Shri Jyotiraditya M&#46;

## Scindia)

- (a)  &  (b)  During  2019-20,  all  Indian  airports  across  the  country handled 275 million domestic passenger traffic. Due to the adverse effect  of  COVID-19  on  aviation  industry  worldwide,  the  domestic passenger traffic in India decreased to 105 million during 2020-21. The  details  of  last  five  years  domestic  passenger  traffic  and corresponding growth rate are attached at Annexure.

; Ministry  of  Civil  Aviation  launched  Regional  Connectivity  Scheme (RCS) - UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) on 21-10-2016 to stimulate regional  air  connectivity  and  make  air  travel  affordable  for  the masses.  The  UDAN  scheme  envisages  providing  connectivity  to unserved and underserved airports of the country through revival of the  existing  airstrips  and  airports.  Under  the  UDAN  Scheme,  the Government  has  targeted  an  indicative  airfare  at  Rs.  2500  for  a distance  of  500  km  to  600  km  per  RCS  seat  under  Regional Connectivity  routes  (equivalent  to  one-hour  flight).  This  airfare  is subject  to  indexation  as  per  the  formula  specified  in  the  UDAN Scheme document.; Airfares are market driven and are neither regulated nor established by the Government. Airlines are free to fix reasonable tariffs taking into  consideration  all  relevant  factors  which  include  the  cost  of operation, characteristics of service and reasonable profit. Airlines, however,  remain  compliant  with  the  regulatory  provisions  under Aircraft Rules, 1937 as long as the fare charged by them does not exceed the fare established and displayed on their website.; The Government, however, as an extraordinary measure during the COVID  19  pandemic  and  in  exercise  of  special  powers  conferred under  the  Aircraft  Act,  1934,  notified  in  May  2020,  fare  bands  for economy  class  tickets  for  scheduled  domestic  sector.  The  Fare capping  orders  are  currently  operational  on  a  rolling  basis  of  15 days cycle.

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## Annexure

## ANNEXURE IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA UNSTARRED Q. NO. 1940 FOR ANSWER ON 28.07.2022

Details of last five-year domestic passenger traffic and corresponding growth rate

| Financial year   |   Domestic passengers (in millions) | Percentage growth   |
|------------------|-------------------------------------|---------------------|
| 2017-18          |                                 243 | 18.3%               |
| 2018-19          |                                 275 | 13.1%               |
| 2019-20          |                                 274 | -0.3%               |
| 2020-21          |                                 105 | -61.7%              |
| 2021-22          |                                 167 | 58.5%               |

Source: Airports Authority of India