New Delhi: The Ministry of Civil Aviation has intervened decisively in the ongoing aviation crisis, imposing mandatory fare caps on all domestic airlines to control what it termed “opportunistic pricing” that emerged following mass cancellations by IndiGo. The move comes as IndiGo’s operational failure, driven by a severe pilot shortage, resulted in over one thousand flights being grounded on Friday alone, pushing last-minute airfares on key routes to exorbitant levels.
The official directive has been issued to all airlines mandating strict adherence to the prescribed fare caps, which will remain in force until the situation fully stabilises. This regulatory measure is aimed at maintaining pricing discipline in the market, preventing the exploitation of passengers in distress, and ensuring that citizens with urgent travel needs—including senior citizens, students, and patients—are not subjected to financial hardship during this period of chaos.
The fare surge had been dramatic, with reports indicating one-way economy class tickets on major sectors like Delhi-Mumbai and Kolkata-Bengaluru climbing well above the typical price range, in some instances touching prices of over forty thousand rupees. The high cost was a direct consequence of the sudden and massive reduction in capacity caused by IndiGo, which commands over sixty percent of the domestic market.
The Ministry has stated it will continue to closely monitor fare levels through real-time data and active coordination with airlines and online travel platforms. Any deviation from the prescribed norms will attract immediate corrective action in the larger public interest, according to the official statement.
The crisis itself stems from IndiGo’s failure to adequately prepare for the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, which mandated stricter rest periods and limitations on night flying for pilots. Although the government has temporarily suspended the new FDTL orders to all airlines and granted IndiGo a specific exemption until February 10, 2026, to stabilise its A320 operations, the regulatory focus has now widened to include consumer protection from price gouging.
IndiGo’s top management has apologised for the disruption and offered full automatic refunds and waivers for rescheduling requests for travel between December 5 and 15, as it works toward a complete restoration of its network, which is now expected by mid-February 2026.