Indian Aviation Minister Vows Action on High Airfares, Boosts DGCA Monitoring

Indian Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu announced that the government is actively addressing the issue of high airfares and aims to prevent opportunistic pricing practices within the deregulated aviation sector. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Naidu confirmed that the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is strengthening its tariff monitoring unit to oversee both domestic and international routes more effectively. The minister attributed fare surges primarily to the deregulated nature of the industry and the inherent mismatch between passenger demand and available supply, noting that prices naturally rise when demand is exceptionally high.

Naidu highlighted previous government interventions to stabilize airfares during critical periods. He cited the capping of prices during the IndiGo operational crisis, which caused significant disruptions and capacity constraints across Indian aviation. The ministry has also taken similar actions during events like the Kumbh Mela, the Pahalgam incident, and the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating a proactive approach to prevent unreasonable fare hikes. These measures underscore the government's commitment to ensuring air travel remains reasonable and affordable for passengers.

Furthermore, the ministry is leveraging the AirSewa grievance redressal mechanism, launched in 2016, to enhance passenger satisfaction. A new grievance category, "Air Fare" for high airfares, has been introduced to the portal. Naidu provided statistics indicating a high rate of complaint redressal: 9,649 complaints in 2022, 14,116 in 2023, and 19,262 in 2024 were all resolved. For 2025 (January 1 to November 30), 16,309 out of 16,591 complaints were redressed, with 282 pending. While overall satisfaction is improving, key areas of focus remain flight delays, timely refunds, and baggage delivery.