The government has issued a stern directive to airlines to avoid steep fare hikes during the upcoming Diwali festive period. Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu convened a review meeting with major carriers — including Air India, IndiGo, Air India Express, Akasa Air, Alliance Air, Fly91, FlyBig and IndiaOne Air — insisting that fares remain “reasonable” across all routes so travellers are not burdened by sudden price spikes.

To ensure compliance, the Ministry has upgraded the AirSewa portal, allowing passengers to register complaints regarding inflated airfares. It has also directed the DGCA’s Tariff Monitoring Unit to closely monitor airlines’ adherence to declared fare bands.

During the five-hour meeting, airlines assured the minister that they would prioritise passenger convenience. They disclosed plans to deploy additional capacity on high-traffic routes to meet the festive demand.