Lok Sabha Question No. 4515 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-19
Subject: Domestic Airfare Trends
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Smt. Shambhavi, Shri Mukeshkumar Chandrakaant Dalal, Shri Rajesh Verma, Dr. Lata Wankhede

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 4515

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  19th March 2026 )

## DOMESTIC AIRFARE TRENDS

## 4515.    SMT SHAMBHAVI

## SHRI MUKESHKUMAR CHANDRAKAANT DALAL

SHRI RAJESH VERMA

DR. LATA WANKHEDE

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) the details of the trends observed in domestic air passenger fares, particularly  with  regard  to  significant  increases  or  reductions  recorded  during the latter part of the year;
- (b)  the  details  of  the  factors  influencing  fare  variations  including  fuel  price fluctuations, airport charges, seasonal  demand  shifts  and  airline capacity decisions;
- (c)  the  details  of  the  consumer  protection  mechanisms  in place  to ensure  fare transparency including mandatory disclosure of surcharges and ancillary costs;
- (d) the details of the steps taken to engage with airlines, airport operators and consumer forums to address fare grievances; and
- (e) whether any regulatory review or policy intervention has been considered to promote  fare  affordability  while  ensuring  airline  financial  viability,  if  so,  the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (e): The pricing of airfares is influenced by dynamic fluctuations based on the fundamental economic forces of supply and demand. Various determinants such as current seat occupancy, fuel costs, aircraft capacity, seasonal fluctuations and other relevant factors significantly impact airline ticket pricing.

Airfares are not subject to regulation by the Government and every air transport undertaking  shall  establish  a  tariff having  regard  to  all  relevant  factors, including  the  cost  of  operation,  characteristics  of  service,  reasonable  profit, while adhering to Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937.

The Government generally refrains from regulating airfares to maintain market competitiveness,  however,  it  remains  vigilant  oversight  role,  intervening  in exceptional circumstances by redistributing capacity across various sectors and imposing  temporary  fare  caps,  such  as  during  Pandemic,  festivals  like  Maha kumb, Pahalgam incident & recently massive Indigo flight disruptions.

In  order  to  enhance  the  transparency  in  airfare,  Directorate  General  of  Civil Aviation  (DGCA)  has  set-up  Tariff  Monitoring  Unit  (TMU)  that  monitors airfares on selected 78 routes on a random basis by using airlines websites on monthly basis to ensure that the airlines do not charge airfares outside the range declared by them. This covers about 27% of the domestic traffic.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has developed a dedicated "Air Fare" grievance  module  on  the  AirSewa  platform  to  address  concerns  related  to excessive airfares charged by domestic airlines.

MoCA has established a 24x7 Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) to enhance passenger centric governance. This initiative integrates MoCA, DGCA, Airports Authority of India (AAI), and airlines for real-time monitoring of flight disruptions, baggage  issues,  and refunds, aiming  to accelerate grievance redressal  and  improve  the  overall  travel  experience.  Further,  passenger  can lodge their grievances on Air Sewa Portal for timely redressal.

******