Air ticket price can't escalate beyond what is justifiable: Scindia

Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday emphasised the importance of maintaining reasonable airline ticket prices following the resumption of domestic air travel after the Covid-induced lockdowns.

Earlier at a meeting with the Airlines Advisory Group on Monday, the minister had expressed the need for maximum ticket prices to be within an acceptable range and had conveyed this message clearly to the airlines.

Presenting a report card of the aviation sector's performance in the nine years of Narendra Modi government on Wednesday, Scindia highlighted that it is crucial to avoid exorbitant prices, especially considering the recent incidents such as the Go First situation, as well as other unforeseen events or emergencies.

He emphasisd that the government cannot permit prices to escalate beyond what is justifiable, while saying that it is monitoring the fares on a daily basis.

Earlier, in an effort to regulate fares, the airlines were urged to self-monitor prices, particularly on routes previously served by the grounded Go First airline.

"The objective is to ensure that air travel remains affordable and accessible for the passengers, while also taking into account the various challenges faced by the aviation industry," Scinida said.

The minister also said that on June 5, the fare to travel from Delhi to Srinagar on June 6 was from Rs 11,913 to Rs 18,592. On June 6, the price to travel on the same route on June 7 came down to Rs 10,626 to Rs 16,506.

"Similarly, for Delhi-Leh, it was Rs 8,658 to Rs 24,644, which came down to Rs 9,707 to Rs 16,034," he said.

--IANS

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