Air India Express Defends Competitive Airfares Amid Calls for Regulation

Air India Express CEO Aloke Singh defends the airline's competitive airfares amid growing demand and calls for regulation. Despite deregulated airfares, Singh highlights self-regulation when demand exceeds capacity. A parliamentary panel suggests AI-driven regulation due to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's limitations.

Air India Express CEO Aloke Singh on Friday defended the airline's competitive airfares, emphasizing that they remain low despite increasing demand. He argued that the airline employs self-regulation when demand exceeds capacity, preventing unfair price hikes.

Concerns regarding soaring airfares have prompted demands for government intervention. A parliamentary panel recently recommended implementing an Artificial Intelligence-based pricing regulation to better monitor airfare spikes. The current framework under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation is deemed insufficient for proactive airfare regulation.

Looking ahead, Air India Express plans to expand operations to over 525 flights daily starting April, a notable increase from its current 485 flights. The airline also aims to transport 30 million passengers by the 2025-26 fiscal year, in alignment with its growth trajectory.

(With inputs from agencies.)