Lok Sabha Question No. 3414 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-12
Subject: High Airfare at Mumbai Airport
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri Sanjay Dina Patil, Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 3414

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  12th March 2026 )

## HIGH AIRFARE AT MUMBAI AIRPORT

## 3414.    PROF VARSHA EKNATH GAIKWAD SHRI SANJAY DINA PATIL Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

(a) whether  the Government  has  examined  the  impact  of  limited  flight frequencies,  route  concentration  and  the  dominance  of  a  few  airlines  on consistently  high  airfares  for  short  and  medium-haul  routes  originating  from Mumbai despite the city being the country's largest aviation hub and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government is aware that passengers from non-metro districts of  Maharashtra  are  routinely  compelled  to  transit  through  Mumbai  due  to inadequate  direct  air  connectivity,  resulting  in  higher  cumulative  travel  costs and overcrowding at Mumbai airport and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether any study has been conducted on the role of high airport charges, slot constraints at  Mumbai,  peak-hour  congestion and seasonal capacity withdrawals in escalating fares and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the steps taken to ensure affordable, transparent and predictable pricing on high-demand routes from Mumbai; and

(e)  whether  any  region-specific  regulatory  safeguards  for  air  travellers  from Mumbai and Maharashtra are under consideration and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

Minister  of  State  in  the  Ministry  of  CIVIL  AVIATION            (Shri  Murlidhar Mohol)

(a)  &  (b):  The  commencement  of  flight  operations  from  any  airport  in  the country  is  a  commercial  decision  of  the  airlines,  based  on  the  economic  and operational viability of the route and other associated factors.

With the repeal of the Air Corporations Act in March 1994, the Indian domestic aviation sector was fully deregulated. Airlines are free to induct capacity with any type of aircraft and to determine the markets and routes they wish to serve. However, such operations are subject to compliance with the Route Dispersal

Guidelines (RDGs) issued by the Government, slot allocation by the respective airport operators, and approval of flight schedules by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

(c)  &  (d)  In  a  deregulated  aviation  market,  airfares  are  not  regulated  by  the Government.  Airlines  have  the  flexibility  to  determine  fares  based  on  their operational  requirements,  while  adhering  to  Rule  135  of  the  Aircraft  Rules, 1937. The  Government  of  India  has established the  Airports  Economic Regulatory  Authority  of  India  (AERA)  to  determine  tariffs  for  aeronautical services provided at major airports. AERA follows a uniform tariff methodology for fixation of aeronautical charges across major airports.

Further to promote airfare transparency and strengthen passenger protection, all scheduled  domestic  airlines  are  required  to  publish  the  tariffs  established  by them on their respective websites in a conspicuous manner, in accordance with Sub-Rule (2) of Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937. The Tariff Monitoring Unit (TMU), established under the DGCA, monitors airfares on selected routes on a monthly basis to ensure that airlines do not charge fares outside the range published on their websites.

(e):  To  ensure  appropriate  protection  for  air  travellers,  DGCA  has  issued  the following  passenger-centric  regulations/circulars  to  safeguard  the  interests  of the travelling public:

a)  Carriage  by  Air  of  Persons  with  Disability  and/  or  Persons  with  Reduced Mobility [Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 3, Series M, Part I]

b)  Facilities  to  be  provided  to  passengers  by  airlines  due  to  denied  boarding, cancellation of flights and delays in flights (CAR Section 3, Series M, Part IV)

c) Refund of Airline Tickets to Passengers (CAR Section 3, Series M, Part II)

d) Air Transport Circular ATC 01 of 2024, titled "Unbundle of services and fees by scheduled airlines".

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