Lok Sabha Question No. 44 (STARRED), answered on 2024-07-25
Subject: Exorbitant Rise in Air Fare
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri Shafi Parambil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. : 44

(To be answered on the 25 th  July 2024)

## EXORBITANT RISE IN AIR FARE

- *44. SHRI SHAFI PARAMBIL

## Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the frequent cancellation of airline services from the Kannur and Calicut airports and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has taken appropriate intervention to check such issues that affect a large number of passengers and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken cognizance of the exorbitant rise in flight charges during vacation season which affects passengers from the Gulf region and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to initiate any measures to fix an upper limit  on  airfare  in  order  to  avoid  unexpected  fluctuations  during  peak seasons; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

(Shri Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the table of the house.
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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (A) TO (E) IN RESPECT OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION 44 FOR REPLY ON 25.07.2024 REGARDING "EXORBITANT RISE IN AIR FARE" ASKED BY SHRI SHAFI PARAMBIL. (a) & (b): Flight cancellations from various airports including Kannur and Calicut  occasionally  occur  due  to  weather,  technical,  operational  and miscellaneous reasons. A total of 542 flights (which is around 5.59% of total number of flights) were cancelled to/from Calicut and Kannur Airports during the last three months i.e. April to June, 2024. In order to ensure appropriate protection of air travelers in case of flight disruption and in particular, flight cancellation and delays without due notice to the passengers booked on the flight, DGCA has issued Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), Section-3- Air Transport,-Series-M Part-IV on "Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flights and delays in flights." (c) to (e): As far as regulation of airfare is concerned, Government does not regulate the fares set by airlines- Indian or foreign. The fares on any route are dependent, inter-alia, on seasonality, holidays and festivals, cost of Aviation Turbine Fuel, competition and other similar factors. Airline pricing runs in multiple levels {buckets or RBDs} which are in line with the practice being followed globally and due to dynamic fare pricing, the tickets bought in advance are much cheaper than those purchased near the travel date. Under the provisions of Rule 135(1) of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, the airlines are free to fix tariffs, having regard to all relevant factors, including cost of operation, characteristics of services, generally prevailing tariff etc. DGCA's Tariff Monitoring Unit (TMU) ensures that the fares being charged by the airlines are as per the tariff established by the airlines. At present, there is no proposal in the Ministry to intervene with the existing regulatory framework on airfare.

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