The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has stepped in to prevent airfares from soaring out of control, as India’s festive season drives up passenger traffic. In a statement issued on October 5, the regulator said it had directed airlines to deploy additional flights to handle the heavy demand and stabilise ticket prices.
“The DGCA proactively took up the issue with airlines and asked them to augment flight capacities for the festive season by deploying additional flights to meet high demand,” the announcement read. The Union health ministry has revised rates for nearly 2,000 medical procedures under the Central Government Health Services (CGHS) scheme. The new structure, which takes effect on October 13, aims to make hospital billing more realistic and transparent.
The festive period — stretching from Dussehra through Chhath — traditionally sees a surge in domestic travel, especially across North India, as millions head home or plan vacations. With trains and buses packed to capacity, air travel becomes the preferred option, often sending ticket prices through the roof.
This year’s spike in fares isn’t just about high demand. The aviation industry is also grappling with rising Air Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices — which make up more than half of an airline’s operating costs.
In the past four months, ATF prices have climbed by around ₹12,000 per kilolitre, with only a minor ₹1,300 discount last month offering temporary relief. Frequent hikes of ₹100 to ₹1,000 at a time have steadily pushed up costs, directly impacting ticket prices.
To ease the festive rush, airlines have announced additional flights across several routes. IndiGo will operate around 730 extra flights across 42 sectors, while Air India and Air India Express will together add 486 flights across 20 sectors. SpiceJet, too, will increase its operations with 546 additional flights across 38 sectors.
The DGCA said it would maintain “rigorous oversight” of fares and flight capacities throughout the festive period to ensure passengers are not overcharged. The move is also expected to bring some balance to supply and demand, which typically spikes sharply during this time of year.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has written to the DGCA urging a detailed inspection of all Boeing 787 aircraft operating in India. The request follows a technical glitch involving an Air India Boeing 787 flight from Amritsar to Birmingham.
According to the letter, the aircraft’s Ram Air Turbine (RAT) — an emergency power unit — deployed automatically at about 500 ft during final approach to the UK city. Although the plane landed safely, the incident raised concerns about the reliability of its electrical system.
The Aircraft Health Monitoring (AHM) system flagged a fault in the Bus Power Control Unit (BPCU), which might have triggered the RAT’s unexpected deployment, the FIP said. The pilots’ body, which represents over 5,000 cockpit crew members, has requested that all Boeing 787s in Indian fleets be checked for similar issues to ensure passenger safety.
With high travel demand, rising fuel costs, and a close watch on airfares, the aviation regulator faces a busy festive season. While the additional flights are expected to bring some relief to passengers, the industry’s operational costs and safety concerns continue to hover in the background.