Rise in airfares: DGCA asks airlines to submit details about fares on India-UK flights

Aviation regulator DGCA has asked the airlines to submit details about the airfares they have been charging for India-UK flights during August, a senior official said on Sunday.

On Saturday, Sanjeev Gupta, Secretary, Inter-State Council Secretariat, Union Home Ministry, had complained on Twitter that an economy-class ticket on British Airways's Delhi-London flight for August 26 was priced Rs 3.95 lakh.

He added that economy-class ticket on Delhi-London flights of Vistara and Air India for August 26 was also priced between Rs 1.2 lakh and Rs 2.3 lakh amid the college admission time in the UK.

Gupta said he has "alerted" Union Civil Aviation Secretary P S Kharola about this matter.

A senior official of the Directorate General of Civl Aviation (DGCA) said on Sunday that the regulator has asked the airlines that operate India-UK flights currently to submit details about their fares.

While there have been lower and upper limits on all domestic airfares in India since May 25 last year, no such limits have been imposed on international airfares.

Vistara, which currently operates flights on Delhi-London as wells Mumbai-London route, said on Sunday: "Pricing is always a function of supply and demand.

"There are only 15 flights a week allowed currently on India - UK route for Indian carriers and when there is relaxation and more capacity allowed, it will automatically bring down prices."

Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

However, limited special international passenger flights have been operating since July 2020 under the air bubble arrangements formed with 28 countries, including the UK.