Air India Group on Monday announced the rollout of revised Economy Class fares in line with a directive issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on December 6. The government’s intervention came amid sharply rising airfares triggered by multiple flight cancellations by IndiGo over the past week.
In a statement, Air India said, “In compliance with the MoCA directive on capping Economy Class base fares, we have commenced the implementation of the new fares across our reservation systems.” Air India Express has already completed the update, while Air India is applying the caps, which are expected to be fully effective in the next few hours.
Passengers who booked tickets earlier eligible for refunds
The airline further explained that the fare revision involves third-party system dependencies, necessitating a phased rollout to maintain accuracy and prevent disruption to passenger bookings. Passengers who booked Economy Class tickets above the prescribed caps during the transition period are eligible for refunds of the fare difference.
IndiGo flight cancellations continue
IndiGo has faced operational disruptions for the seventh consecutive day, with cancellations and delays reported across major airports nationwide. Delhi airport issued an advisory urging passengers to verify flight status before arriving at terminals.
The airline cancelled more than 650 flights on Sunday, following over 1,000 cancellations on Saturday, due to a pilot shortage. The disruptions left thousands of passengers stranded, prompting a surge in fares on alternative carriers including Air India, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air.
Civil Aviation Ministry steps in
The Civil Aviation Ministry issued the fare cap directive to protect passengers from exploitation during the crisis. “These caps will remain in force until the situation stabilizes. The aim is to maintain pricing discipline, safeguard travelers in distress, and ensure that senior citizens, students, and patients are not financially burdened during this period,” the ministry said.
