Inquiry Promised Into Air Vistara Fare Hike

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu has assured an investigation into claims of sudden fare hikes on Air Vistara flights for MPs. The discussion, prompted by DMK's Dayanidhi Maran in Lok Sabha, highlighted significant price increases during the booking process. Speaker Om Birla also supported the need for inquiry.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Thursday promised to conduct an inquiry into allegations of abrupt fare hike when MPs try to book tickets on Air Vistara airline, following complaints by MPs and a nudge by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Raising the issue during Question Hour in Lok Sabha through a supplementary question, DMK member Dayanidhi Maran alleged that whenever he tries to book a ticket on Air Vistara for the Chennai-Delhi route, the initial price shown is around Rs 25,000. However, by the time he completes the booking process, the fare increases significantly, sometimes up to two or three times higher, he claimed.

The DMK leader speculated whether some technology applied by TCS, a software giant belonging to the same Tata group, is driving up the air fare.

Intervening in the discussion, Speaker Birla mentioned that he had received similar complaints from other MPs and stressed the need for a thorough investigation, as public money is involved.

The minister responded by promising to investigate the matter. Parliament sources noted that MPs are entitled to business class travel.

Replying to another question, Naidu said he has been striving to make air travel more affordable for the common people since taking over the civil aviation ministry. However, he acknowledged that airfares are market-driven and depend on multiple factors.

The minister also promised to examine allegations of high airfares during the holiday season on international routes. He clarified that the government does not regulate airfare, which remains influenced by seasonality, holidays, cost of aviation fuel, competition, and other factors.

Naidu explained that airline pricing operates in multiple levels due to dynamic fare pricing, making advance bookings cheaper than last-minute purchases. He added that the DGCA's Tariff Monitoring Unit ensures fare compliance with airline-established tariffs, and there are no current plans to alter the existing regulatory framework.

(With inputs from agencies.)