Government asks airlines to increase flights & keep fares in check

NEW DELHI: In a bid to prevent airfares from soaring yet again this festive season , the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines to “augment flight capacities by deploying additional flights to meet high demand.”

Following this, the aviation ministry says, IndiGo has informed the regulator it will deploy about 730 additional flights across 42 sectors; Air India and AI Express will have an additional 486 flights across 20 sectors and SpiceJet will have 546 additional flights across 38 sectors.

“The DGCA will maintain rigorous oversight of airline fares and flight capacities to protect passengers’ interests during the festive season. DGCA is mandated by Union aviation ministry to keep a watch on airfares, especially during the festive season and take appropriate measures in case of a surge in prices. Accordingly, the DGCA proactively took up the issue with airlines,” the ministry said in a statement.