Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said Indian airlines had suffered major losses in the past two years over the unprecedented rise in prices of aviation turbine fuel.
According to the 'American Express Business Travel Monitor' which tracks and analyses published airfares on a quarterly basis, 'although fares moderated in the fourth quarter, the influences of rising oil prices and economic growth in the region are too strong to keep prices steady'.
The airfares are already 15 per cent higher than last season and due to this shortage it will go higher, said Sharat Dhall, COO of Yatra.com.
Airfares may be in for an upswing. Thanks to Vijay Mallya-promoted Kingfisher Airlines acquiring 26 per cent stake in country's largest and first budget carrier Air Deccan.
With the Middle East tensions flaring up, Air India has temporarily suspended its Tel Aviv flights and airlines have charted alternative flight paths to avoid the Iranian airspace.
From highways connecting once-remote regions to aviation networks carrying millions, India's infrastructure story is one of transformation.
The beautiful hill station of Shillong, known for its natural beauty and rich culture, has been named the most popular travel spot in India for 2025.
Aviation turbine fuel prices increased by 34 per cent whereas fares - on an average across the country - shot up by more than 65 per cent. Since fuel accounts for about 45 per cent of the total costs, the actual impact on airlines, in terms of increase in the cost of operation, would have been around 15 per cent. Airlines also cut capacity by 20 per cent during the period.
Ahmedabad airport recorded thrice the number of private chartered/VIP flights in the build-up to the final of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup as compared to the average four-day period. The airport, which usually operates around 64 chartered flights in a span of four days, is set to handle 205 such flights between November 17 and 20, as celebrities and other VIPs descended to watch the India-Australia match.
The government on Monday asked airlines to devise a mechanism to ensure reasonable airfares amid a surge in air ticket prices, particularly on certain routes that were earlier served by Go First. In the case of the unfortunate Odisha tragedy, airlines have been advised to provide free carriage (cargo) services to the families of the deceased, the civil aviation ministry said. During an hour-long meeting of the airlines advisory group, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia shared his concerns about the steep rise in airfares on certain routes.
Fierce competition among airline firms has long limited price increases despite crippling operating costs
Aviation regulators says airlines are free to fix fares.
The Delhi airport, the country's busiest airport, on Friday early morning witnessed the collapse of a roof at Terminal 1 amid heavy rains that killed one person, prompting the government to order a detailed probe and an inspection of the structural strength of all airports.
There were fewer promotion sales in January-February this year.
Hotel room tariff in Ahmedabad, airfares shoot up ahead of India-Australia final
Just over a three-hour flight from Delhi, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia have seen a big jump in visitors.
Faced with a lean season when occupancies drop 15 to 20 per cent, airlines are trying to lure fliers with cheaper fares. If you time your travel well (midweek, off-peak hours), you can still fly many sectors in the country for Rs 2,525.
MPs will, however, continue to enjoy facilities like being served tea, coffee and water for free at airports, have free access to the terminal building and enjoy reserved lounge facilities at international and domestic terminals
If the Ministry of Civil Aviation has its way, the proposed regulatory authority for the sector will act as an arbitrator in case of disputes over airfare. The airlines, however, will be free to decide on ticket pricing.
Airline sources said an increase of Rs 600 to Rs 1,000 is necessary for all carriers to become profitable.
Last year too, the competition regulator had sent notices to airlines whether they were acting together to raise or lower airfares.
Rediff FareSearch provides users the total fare inclusive of taxes and not just the base fare, thus helping users to make a more informed decision.
Ajit Singh says the govt does not intend to regulate fares but in the larger public interest, transparency is required.
Sending a strong signal to domestic airlines over abrupt hike in airfares by some of them during periods of high demand, the Union civil aviation ministry on Thursday warned them of action if they continued with such 'predatory pricing'.
Round-II of fare war starts with Jet Airways announcing cheaper fares.
With high festive season demand pushing up airfares, aviation regulator DGCA has been asked by the Union civil aviation ministry to examine if it could take some steps provide any relief to air travellers.
The steep hike in airfares is making Kashmir out of bounds for most travellers, leading many business-owners to fear that the tourists may be forced to look for another holiday destination, says Mukhtar Shah.
Long-term macro trends indicate growth in demand for air travel. Trends from the ticketing website MakeMyTrip indicate a likely annual growth of between 11-17 per cent in Indian air travel demand over FY24-30. Through that period, InterGlobe Aviation or IndiGo may continue to make gains in market share in both domestic and international travel, aided by large fleet additions. IndiGo is the largest global customer of Airbus by far with 950 aircraft orders outstanding.
In a major relief to passengers, whose flights got cancelled due to the Covid-19 lockdown, the Supreme Court on Thursday accepted the recommendations of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to refund ticket fares and also approved a credit shell scheme which will be valid till March 31.
Govt to not determine the price but come up with a formula.
The government also said it will hold consultations with the airlines to explore the possibility of curbing the menace of charging exorbitant airfares during emergency situations.
'Hopefully, the South Africa series has woken up the Australian media to the realities of what it's like to operate Test cricket, and unless the boards change the economic model, I don't think Test cricket will thrive outside of the Big Three.'
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar yesterday said the state has already slashed Value Added Tax on Air Turbine Fuel refuelled in the state from 22 percent to mere 12.5 per cent.
