Passengers and travel agents in Kolkata have slammed the recent airfare cap announced by the civil aviation minister as a case of 'too little, too late.' The announcement, made on Saturday, came three days after the cancellation of hundreds of IndiGo flights left thousands of travelers paying exorbitant last-minute fares. However, the cap has failed to bring immediate relief, with ticket prices on major routes continuing to soar far above the government-mandated limits.
Fare Cap Announced, But Reality Tells a Different Story
The minister's order capped the highest fare at Rs 18,000, excluding UDF, PSF, and taxes, for sectors over 1,000 km. For routes between 1,000 km and 1,500 km, the cap was set at Rs 15,000, again excluding charges. Yet, reality on the ground paints a starkly different picture. On Saturday evening, hours after the announcement, fares remained wildly inflated.
For instance, a flight from Kolkata to Mumbai on Sunday was priced at a staggering Rs 40,000 on SpiceJet. For Monday travel, Akasa Air listed fares at Rs 32,000, while SpiceJet again showed Rs 40,000. The problem was not isolated to one route. Flights from Kolkata to Delhi on Sunday were priced at Rs 28,000 on Akasa Air and Rs 26,000 on Air India Express. Monday fares saw Air India at Rs 23,000-25,000, Akasa Air at Rs 28,000, and SpiceJet reaching as high as Rs 32,000 and Rs 39,000.
Travel Industry and Stranded Passengers Voice Anger
Industry leaders were quick to criticize both the delayed action and the cap's implementation. Anjani Dhanuka, Chairman (East) of the Travel Agents Association of India, stated that the cap's reflection was absent in the market. He argued that the capped fare itself was extremely high, noting that a year ago, the highest economy fare was around Rs 18,000. He suggested the government should have used an average of the last three years' fares to determine a fair cap.
Debjit Dutta from the Indian Association of Tour Operators called on authorities to enforce the capping strictly to prevent it from becoming a farce. The frustration was echoed by stranded passengers facing dire circumstances. Prakash Jain, a youth from Mumbai, found his connecting flight from Kolkata cancelled after arriving from Guangzhou. IndiGo offered only a refund, leaving him to search for a new ticket priced between Rs 60,000 and Rs 70,000, an amount he called 'insane.'
Another traveler, Ayush Kumar from Pune, missed his connecting flight after his IndiGo flight from Ho Chi Minh City to Kolkata was delayed by 3.5 hours. The airline staff offered no rebooking solution, forcing him and his boss to purchase last-minute Air India tickets for Rs 40,000 each.
Systemic Issues and Calls for Passenger Protection
The incident has highlighted a broader systemic imbalance in passenger rights. In a letter to the DGCA, Abbaz Moiz of the Travel Agents Federation of India pointed out a critical flaw: while airlines charge cancellation fees regardless of when a ticket is booked, a traveler is typically entitled only to a refund if the airline cancels or significantly delays a flight, with no compensation for the resultant hardship or last-minute fare spikes.
The current situation underscores a significant gap between policy announcement and on-ground enforcement. For passengers in Kolkata and across India, the promise of regulated fares has rung hollow, leaving many to contend with stranded plans and emptied wallets while the aviation regulator faces renewed calls for decisive action.
