Jet FuelImage Credit source: AFP
Ever since GoFirst has turned to insolvency proceedings and its share of flights have been cancelled, airfares have skyrocketed. Because of which the common people are facing a lot of problems. In such a situation, the government has asked all the airlines to exercise some restraint and keep the air fare under control. According to the officials, the government is not making any plan to regulate the air fair. The official said that the airlines have been asked not to keep much difference between the lower and upper level of tickets. India is one of the fastest growing civil aviation markets in the world and domestic travel has seen a rise after being hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Difficulty getting on these routes
After the cash crisis, GoFirst has stopped flying from 3rd May. The fares of the routes on which GoFirst flights were there, have increased. These routes include Delhi-Srinagar and Delhi-Pune. Moreover, the reduction in capacity due to the Go First crisis has come at a time when domestic air travel is nearing its peak. A senior Civil Aviation Ministry official told reporters that airlines have been asked to “exercise restraint” and “maintain balance” in the matter of price moderation of tickets.
No planning to regulate fair
The official said on the condition of anonymity that there cannot be a situation where there is a huge difference between the lowest and highest fares and passengers do not face difficulties in case of exorbitant fares. The official made it clear that there is no plan to control or regulate the air fare. The official said that capacity is an issue and it is expected that the resumption of flights by GoFirst at the earliest will help ease the situation before the peak travel season in June. According to statistics, domestic airlines carried 128.88 lakh passengers in April.
Tremendous increase in rent
There has been a huge jump in the air fares of the routes on which GoFirst was flying. For example, the average one-way fare on the Delhi-Leh route increased by 125 per cent to an average of Rs 13,674 during the May 3-10 period as compared to the April 20-28 period. This figure has been shared by travel portal ixigo. At the same time, the average one-way fare on the Delhi-Srinagar route has increased by 86 per cent to Rs 16,898 during the same period. Go First is undergoing Voluntary Insolvency Resolution Process. He has canceled flights till 26 May. Apart from this, several IndiGo aircraft have been grounded due to Pratt & Whitney engine issues, while SpiceJet is also facing financial constraints.
