Airfare Hike: John Brittas Slams Centre’s Apathy, Flags Aviation Sector Failures

New Delhi: The response of the Civil Aviation Ministry to a question raised in the Rajya Sabha on the steep rise in airfares has exposed serious shortcomings in India’s aviation sector and the government’s apathy, alleged MP John Brittas.

Brittas pointed out that IndiGo alone accounted for Rs 22.6 crore of the Rs 24 crore paid by airlines as compensation to passengers following widespread flight disruptions in December 2025. He said this highlighted the scale of inconvenience suffered by passengers due to the failure of a single airline. However, he criticised the government for failing to provide clear details on how many passengers actually received compensation or whether it was paid in cash or issued as travel vouchers.

Citing official data, Brittas noted that the number of domestic air passengers had declined year-on-year—from 1.49 crore to 1.43 crore. This, he argued, undermines the government’s routine justification that high airfares are driven by increased passenger demand.

The government informed the Rajya Sabha that it has no authority to regulate airfares and that pricing decisions rest entirely with airlines. Brittas said this claim is contradicted by the government’s own action in imposing fare caps during the December 2025 crisis. He further pointed out that under the Aircraft Rules, 1937, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has full powers to act against excessive pricing.

“The government is deliberately evading its responsibility,” Brittas said, accusing it of failing to use existing regulatory mechanisms to protect passengers from exorbitant fares.